May 6, 2003
 

New Zen Comic Book
An extraterrestrial is on his way to the White House.

In the new 'Zen' comic-book, the alien hero who battled Earth's
environmental pariahs in the '80s and '90s has turned his attention to the threat of global terrorism. So when it was suggested at the hollywoodfyi.com web site that, "maybe the President should get a free copy," Zen Comics Publishing took the idea seriously.

"The item about the 'Zen' #0 comic was called 'Alien vs. Terrorists," said Steve Stern, who created Zen in 1987 with artist Dan Cote. "It made sense to us that we should show Mr. Bush what we were doing to support the cause."

In the comic, which has sold out in many of the nation's comics shops, a suicide bomber destroys a New York City skyscraper in which Zen is bounty-hunting another ET.

"As we follow the terrorist bomber to his target, we read excerpts from
the actual writings of Sayyid Qutb, considered to be the philosopher of Al
Qaeda," Stern explained.

In 'Zen' #1 due out later this month, the plot thickens when it is revealed that an alliance of human and alien terrorists is being forged. Has the President read the comic? "We sent it via U.S. Postal Service Express Mail," Cote said. "All we know for sure is that the comic will get to the White House."