Kat Hudson Interview, Designing the New DC Superhero Girls

I initially found the art of Kat Hudson on Eli Benson’s Instagram (@batman_beyond_fanpage). Eli is my good friend and co-host of our Above and Batman Beyond podcast. Every other week, we interview creators, mega fans, and pros, specifically from the world of Batman Beyond. Hudson, a character designer for the upcoming DC Superhero Girls reboot, posted a beautiful Batman Beyond piece to Instagram. Eli then re-posted it, and right away, I knew Kat had to join us for a pod!

Kat Hudson Interview, DC Superhero Girls

CLICK HERE and the link below for our newest EPISODE 50 of Above and Batman Beyond. We couldn’t be more proud to have a WB artist like Kat with us for our 50th celebration!

https://soundcloud.com/benjamin-david-288828851/ep-50-special-toy-fair-live-dc-superhero-girl-kat-hudson-bcb-10-2019-dc-animated-movies-beyond

Batman Beyond art by Kat Hudson; Photo: @kathudsonart on Instagram

On Kat Hudson’s DC animated art style:

BD: Your style, I was saying [on the podcast], if you like Bruce Timm, it’s Timm-ian, but you definitely have your own–like, it very much is, from piece to piece, “Oh, that’s Kat Hudson, that’s Kat Hudson.”

KH, humble as ever: To me, it looks like forty different people drew everything, but people tell me all the time, “Oh no, it looks consistent. So, that’s good to hear. But, yea, Bruce Timm and Shane are probably two of my biggest influences. I have others, but they’re definitely up there.

Poison Ivy Beyond by Kat Hudson — Poison Ivy “Beyond” by Kat Hudson; Photo: @kathudsonart on Instagram

KH continued: I like that retro-futurism, flat graphic look, stuff like that. Like mid-century, but I like to draw space suits. I don’t know (Laughs).

BD: You are speaking my language with every word.

KH: I like everything that Bruce Timm and Shane Glines draw. So, pretty much that.

BD: Who was the second person? Shane–

KH: Shane Glines. He’s a character designer from Batman Beyond. He works at Warner Bros. And, Glen Murikami. And, there’s a lot of comic book artists I like too, but they’re some of my biggest influences, definitely.

Harley Quinn Beyond by Kat Hudson — Harley and Ivy by Kat Hudson; Photo: @kathudsonart

On the newly rebooted DC Superhero Girls:

BD: You work at a place that seems, while it is superhero, you work at DC Superhero Girls. So, you’re in what would be a boys club, but you’re really in a girls club.

KH: Yea, it’s funny. It’s the new reboot. It hasn’t come out yet. But yea, it’s really cool. Because, I mean, there are definitely a lot of guys on our team, but there’s a lot of girls. It’s really a female led team.

BD: That’s so awesome!

KH: It’s really cool. Lauren Faust, who did My Little Pony and other things; she’s the show runner, so–

BD: Oh, really? I didn’t know that.

KH: Her [Lauren Faust] husband’s Craig McCracken. He did Powerpuff Girls, Wander Over Yonder; so, they’re a cool team of people.

DC Superhero Girls Post vs. Pre-Reboot

KH: It’s going to be a new take… It’s a soft reboot. It’s going to have a lot of the same characters, but they are a little bit different. And, Zatanna’s not in the original one, but she’s a main character on ours. So, it’s a little bit different, but it’s got some of the same people behind it and things like that. But, the art style is different, and the internet’s freaking out about that. So, we’ll so how–

BD: No, the internet’s freaking out?!

KH: (Sarcastically) Can you believe it? But, there’s a lot of nice comments too, and I think it looks really good. And, the old style, the old show, definitely has fans; and, I do like the old show. I’ve watched several episodes, and I enjoy it. This is just a different take on it.

For those interested in the new take on DC Superhero Girls, your wait will not be long. The series premieres this Friday, March 8th on Cartoon Network.