Every Version Of Clayface In DC Comics Explained

With its October 23 premiere, "Clayface" brings body horror into the DC Universe courtesy of actor Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) and his descent into the titular, shapeshifting creature. However, Matt is just one of many who have succumbed to this particular fate over the years. Watch Looper's video above for a handy primer on every version of Clayface in DC Comics.

Matt Hagen is one of the comic Clayfaces, and there's an argument to be made that he's the most prominent of the lot. However, he's not the first character to bear the moniker, nor the last: The first Clayface was Basil Karlo, an originally powerless murderous actor who was in the habit of wearing, yes, a clay mask. Many of the other incarnations have displayed some version of shapeshifting powers, often with a creepy added twist like the ability to dissolve victims. Clayface is nigh-invariably one of Batman's most tragic villains, and the fact that so many have worn the monstrous mantle only adds to the tragedy. 

These days, Matt Hagen and Basil Karlo are generally treated as the same character; Matt's the real name, Basil's the stage name, Clayface is the supervillain name and the one that fits the best. However, this still leaves Preston Payne, Sondra Fuller, their son Cassius Payne, and a fair few other characters who have wielded a variation of Clayface's name and shape-shifting powers. Some of them have gotten their abilities through experimentation, while others are just sentient pieces of existing Clayfaces who broke off and wandered off to do their thing. This has gotten interesting enough that some of the more prominent Clayfaces have even united against Batman as a villain team called the Mud Pack.

We probably shouldn't expect to see an all-Clayface crew in the DC Universe's terrifying take on the Batman villain any time soon, but there are enough differences between the various characters using the moniker to warrant recognition. To learn all you need to know about Matt Hagen and his fellow Clayfaces from DC Comics, be sure to watch Looper's video above.