n the mid-1980s, the comics industry was in turmoil, with hundreds of
independent publishers releasing a seemingly endless stream of
black-and-white books. Most of the superheroes in those periodicals
have long been forgotten, but among the few that have endured is a blue-hued, telepathic mercenary named Zen Intergalactic Ninja.
While Zen has starred in numerous illustrated adventures since his
introduction in 1987, Alien Hero is the first text collection devoted
exclusively to this extraterrestrial fighter. The 60-page trade paperback,
which has approximately the same physical dimensions as a contemporary comic
book, consists of two novellas, "Mistress of Chaos" and "Phaedra," plus three
short stories: "Jewel of Forgetfulness," "Zen Rising" and "A Matter of Life
and Death." All but one of the works are reprinted from various vintage
editions of the Zen Intergalactic Ninja comic, with the sole fresh
fable ("Jewel of Forgetfulness")--describing the swashbuckling alien's
attempt to pilfer a precious gemstone--offering a slightly expanded prose
account of the character's initial pictorial appearance.
Steve Stern is the author of every tale, and artist Dan Cote prefaces each
of the five narratives with a single, full-page sketch. A brief foreword also
presents a succinct history of the 300-year-old soldier of fortune and a
cursory introduction to his devil-may-care outlook on life.
Intermittently entertaining
Through pluck and sheer persistence, Stern and Cote have managed to create a mini-marketing empire that, over the years, has included Zen action figures, video games and even talk of a live-action motion picture. Alien Hero certainly complements those other products, and though it's unlikely that most SF aficionados will find either the writing or artwork even marginally innovative, the book does offer an intermittently entertaining opportunity to experience the captivating mystique of this popular paladin.
The short stories are clearly the most enjoyable element, with "Zen
Rising" relating the protagonist's inventive escape from inhuman cannibals
and "Jewel of Forgetfulness" filling in numerous details that "Zen-Heads" (a term the creators affectionately use to identify their hard-core fans)
undoubtedly missed when perusing the illustrated version of the tale.
Unfortunately, the accompanying novellas are far less pleasurable. The
adventures contain intriguing concepts, but both story lines are marred by
sluggish pacing and predictable dialogue.
Considering the rather excessive cover price and the fact that the longer narratives comprise nearly two-thirds of the book, Alien Hero is probably best suited for individuals who are either intimately familiar with or inordinately curious about Zen. SF buffs with only a passing interest can safely wait until the summer, when a new (and significantly less expensive) Zen Intergalactic Ninja color comic is set to appear.
