Udon is a type of thick wheat-based noodle popular in Korean and Japanese cuisine. It’s also a collective of talented writers, artists and other comic creators under the direction of ringleader Erik Ko.

Working on almost every comic title under the sun, UDON will be next illustrating a special Red Sonja one-shot for Dynamite Entertainment (written by Ron Marz).

We sat down with Ko to check in on the one-shot and what else is up with his noodles… uh, we mean, comics!

DF: Regarding your new title Exalted, where will you be taking fans with this?
ERIK KO (UDON): We're looking to make the book completely accessible to both fans of Exalted and brand new readers looking for an action-packed fantasy story as well. The story is built to start from some familiar fantasy elements out of the gate but will quickly veer off with some unique spins as the first few issues unfold. We want the fans to get a clear vision of the world of Exalted and its splendor. It's a world that reaches into non-European and non-Tolkien influenced realms of fantasy, so showcasing that strongly and grabbing people with compelling characters is really our goal. We want to show new readers this fantastic place and enrich current Exalted fans with a robust vision of the world they've been reading about and enjoying for years.

DF: Also, in this issue, you have a special back up story by Cary Nord, penciler of Conan, is it safe to say that he is a fan as well?
ERIK KO (UDON): Cary didn't know much about the White Wolf properties in the beginning. He came on board Exalted #1 through his friendship with UDON Project Manager/Exalted co-writer Jim Zubkavich and Jim's excitement for the Exalted material. They talked about the new series and the elements that make up the story at length. Right off the bat Cary got a strong sense of what made it tick and how it differed from what he's currently doing on Conan. The story we gave him revolved around a flashback through important moments in the history of the Exalted world. We really think he knocked it out of the park as far as showcasing a lot of complex elements with clear and dramatic storytelling. The final pages painted by Christine Choi are a real vision.

DF: In your Street Fighter comic book series, every issue has a different artist working on a cover or special interior work. How many artists are employed at Udon?
ERIK KO (UDON): About thirty artists and creative staff work at UDON on all sorts of projects. Many of them work on UDON's in-house projects, but many more work with comic publishers like Marvel, Wildstorm and Dynamite, as well as non-comic-related clients such as Score, Nubytech and White Wolf.

DF: We noticed Akuma is next in the lineup of collector busts due out. Who is next to be released in the coming future?
ERIK KO (UDON): Ryu. It only makes sense for Ryu to follow his arch-nemesis. We're pretty proud of our line of mini-busts and are trying our best to bring the characters from the games and comics to life in 3D.

DF: When is your upcoming title "Rival Schools" due to be released? What is the premise of the story?
ERIK KO (UDON): It will be released in late 2005 or early 2006. It's really going to be a fun, all-out action-fest that takes place in the Street Fighter Universe, but has its own distinct storyline. Basically, when a mysterious new school pops up, students from the existing surrounding schools start coming under attack and begin to disappear. It's left up to the strongest students from the various schools to get to the bottom of the mystery. We're aiming to find a balance between action (there'll be tons of it), comedy and high school drama.

DF: We see that you joined the Red Sonja craze. Do you think she make an impression with a new audience with her anime-style?
ERIK KO (UDON): We don't really consider the art in our Red Sonja book "anime", but anime does have an influence on its style. We hope that the book will be able to appeal to a wide fanbase including those who might not otherwise give Red Sonja a look.

For more information on Dynamite Entertainment, including more Army of Darkness and Red Sonja product, please visit the Dynamite Entertainment website at www.dynamiteentertainment.com Check out DF's selection of Red Sonja Comics and Collectibles here!

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