Universal will release the soundtrack album from Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back on August 7th. The film itself, which tells the story of two hapless smalltime pot dealers, who become the heroes of an independent comic book that provides the basis for a big-budget movie, will debut on August 22nd. Although Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is unlikely to become a box office champion on the scale of Shrek, it should exert a powerful influence on the specialty marketplace (see 'Best in Shows'). Kevin Smith, the auteur behind Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, is currently writing Green Arrow, one of the most popular current comic series (see 'Top Ten Comics'); and his other films like Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy are filled with enough pop culture references to make even Quentin Tarentino blush. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back also has some very strong tie-in merchandise including a comic series from Image and a new set of Jay and Silent Bob figures from Graphitti Designs. The soundtrack CD from Universal is one more merchandising possibility for enterprising retailers.