Recently, ZENtertainment became a voluntary-based subscription service. Like Public Television or Radio, we’ll be here for you for free each and every week but we too desperately do need the support of our readers to keep going.

And like those other services, from time to time we’ll be choosing one of our paying subscribers to win a mess of goodies. ZEN is excited to announce the first such prize giveaway will give you a big pool of items related to filmmaker and comic writer Kevin Smith. The prizes include:

- A JAY & SILENT BOB logo movie poster
- A J&SB logo T-shirt
- A pair of J&SB action figures
- A Mooby baseball cap just like Kevin is known to wear
- A Mooby beanie baby toy
- A Buddy Christ statuette
- A CLERKS open/close store sign
- A signed copy of CLERKS: THE COMIC BOOK
- The DAREDEVIL: VISIONARIES trade paperback featuring an intro from Ben Affleck
- The CHASING DOGMA trade paperback
and last but not least
- The CLERKS: UNCENSORED DVD featuring the complete animated ABC series (The best DVD in the world, by the way… If not just for the simple fact that ZEN is mentioned by name on the audio commentary track…)

If you’re one of the 400 or so people who’ve already subscribed, you rule; sit back and wait until issue #491 on September 11th and keep your fingers crossed that we draw your name. And if you haven’t yet subscribed, well, the odds are still pretty darn good, and you’ll be giving a much-needed shot in the arm to a service we hope you’d agree is worth it.

And if you haven’t signed up, well, what are you waiting for? There is no set price on the donation - I’ve suggested $6 a year, but readers have been sending in anything from $6 to $200. Our preferred method of payment is via check or money order made out to Sean Jordan sent to ZEN’s new headquarters at 24360 Vista Hills Road, Valencia, CA, 91355. Or if you’d prefer, you can click over to the www.ZENtertainment.com website and click on the AMAZON or PAYPAL logos you’ll see right up front to securely contribute via credit card or other means.

And that’s that! Remember, ZEN remains a free service and not subscribing will in no way affect you receiving issues in the future, trusted we figure some other way to keep the lights on around here. Times are tough in the advertising, freelancing, and dot.com world and your assistance will not only ensure ZEN reaches issue #500 but maybe even #5000.

In closing, ZEN would like to thank Kevin Smith, CLERKS: TAS producer David Mandel, and the good people at GRAPHITTI DESIGNS, ONI PRESS, MARVEL Comics, and DIMENSION Films who’ve contributed to this prize pool.