Batman’s rogues' gallery runs the gambit from street level thugs, through people in gimmicky costumes to truly monstrous and almost supernatural figures. The men and one woman who have used the name Clayface have embodied the monstrous side of the spectrum.
Most, but not all, the Clayfaces have the ability to reshape their form in multiple ways. Often, they manifest themselves as hulking giants with massive hammer-sized fists, plunging spikes, or maces. All to terrorize the people of Gotham and rob banks. That, in and of itself, is enough to give Batman and Robin a challenge, to say the least.
10 Basil Karlo (Classic) & John Carlinger
Basil Karlo believed he was the “Master of Horror Films” but was little more than a B-List actor. His mind snapped when he learned that his “greatest film” Dread Castle was being remade without him. He donned the mask of the “Clayface” killer and killed the cast as they were killed in the film. Karlo was stopped by Batman and Robin and institutionalized.
John Carlinger was a film director and actor who was holding a classic horror film exhibition on his yacht. Basil Karlo assaulted Carlinger for not inviting him. Carlinger used the Clayface persona to kill some actors that were questioning his production company’s finances. Batman deduced the make-up was modern and not what Karlo used. Batman took Carlinger into custody.
9 Matt Hagen
Treasure hunter Matt Hagen was scuba diving when he discovered a pool of protoplasm in an underwater cave. Becoming immersed by accident, he could transform into any form he wished. The effect lasted for 48 hours and then Hagen must immerse himself again. Hagen took the name Clayface and committed crimes that brought the attention of Batman and Robin.
Clayface and Joker had a feud about who was the better criminal in Gotham. Batman captured both and put them in jail. Clayface kidnapped Lois Lane causing both Superman and Batman to come after him and Superman vaporized his protoplasm pool. Hagen was killed by Shadow Demons in the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
8 Preston Payne
Preston Payne was born with chronic hyperpituitarism that hideously distorted his body, causing him to be ridiculed his entire life. Conversely, he was a brilliant man and graduated college near the top of his class and began working at the Gotham branch of STAR Labs. Desperate to cure his condition, Payne consulted doctors and plastic surgeons and always heard that nothing could be done.
Payne went to Matt Hagen and begged for his help. Getting a sample of his blood, he injected himself and molded his face into a pleasing visage. While on a date, his face began to melt. As he reached for his recoiling date, her body turned into a goo in his hands. Fleeing back to the lab, he created an exoskeleton to house his melting body. Calling himself Clayface, he fell into madness, killing to relieve the intense pain, stealing from labs to cure himself, and falling in love with a mannequin named Helena. Batman put Payne and Helena in Arkham.
7 Sondra Fuller
Sondra Fuller became the fourth Clayface, also known as Lady Clayface or Lady Clay, simply because she hated her own face. She gained her powers from the Kobra Cult to be part of the Kobra Strike Force that would battle the superhero team the Outsiders.
She soon quit Kobra and assumed other peoples’ identities and lived their lives. She soon became dissatisfied with not having a life of her own and began searching for one. Actor and killer Basil Karlo had her impersonate Looker and control Preston Payne but she fell in love with him and they had a child.
6 Cassius Payne
Sandra Fuller and Preston Payne named their child Cassius. He inherited some of his shapeshifting abilities at a very early age. While he was still a toddler, Cassius was kidnapped by serial killer Arnold Etchinson aka the Abattoir. If they followed the Abattoir’s commands, their child would be returned.
Neither Clayface proved a match for the Jean-Paul Valley Batman and Cassius was taken to a STAR Labs facility. It was found that if a piece of Cassius breaks away, it can gain limited but stunted sentience as a “Clay-thing.” It would be able to metamorphosis like all Clayfaces but also melt things like Payne.
5 The Mud Pack
Basil Karlo was visited by Sondra Fuller and planned to unite every Clayface to become the ultimate unstoppable team. Karlo had Fuller impersonate Looker to manipulate Preston Payne to join their crew, which Karlo called the Mud Pack. Karlo also acquired the remains of Matt Hagen but was unable to resurrect the fallen villain.
Karlo had Payne rampage through the city, committing crimes and Fuller impersonated Batman to discredit him. The pair managed to direct Batman into Karlo’s trap and he might have been killed if not for the real Looker rescuing him. Karlo betrayed Fuller and Payne, taking their blood and gave himself their powers, became the Ultimate Clayface. Karlo nearly defeated everyone but Looker overloads his powers, causing him to corrode several feet of the ground beneath him. Fuller and Payne escape, fall in love and have a child.
4 Dr. Peter Malley and Todd Russell
Dr. Peter Malley became the sixth Clayface completely by accident. The DEO scientist was tasked with taking a skin sample from Cassius Fuller. It merged with him, making him a “Claything”. Claything had the ability to melt things by looking at them. Claything was destroyed by DEO Agent Cameron Chase.
Todd Russell was a soldier who suffered severe injuries and memory loss who became a lab rat for Clayface-like powers. He attacked prostitutes in Gotham City’s East End, which drew the ire of Catwoman. He was cryogenically frozen and stored at STAR Labs. Catwoman later “stole” him and he aided her against Hugo Strange’s Gang until he was killed while impersonating Catwoman by Angle Man.
3 Johnny Williams
Johnny Williams was a Gotham City firefighter. He was caught in a chemical explosion in a plant that turned him into a “Clayface”. He accidentally killed a prostitute and is so guilt-stricken that he plans to commit suicide until he encounters The Riddler and Hush.
They offer Williams a cure if he will hurt Jason Todd and Tommy Elliot to hurt Batman. Knowing that he is going to die regardless, Williams offers to help Batman as long as his family is protected and is able to ensure that Alfred is cleared of his murder charges as well.
2 Clownface & Mudface
Clownface was a piece of the Basil Karlo Clayface that broke free and attached itself to a mute elderly man. Joker infected it with his venom and it wreaked havoc through the new Arkham Asylum until Victor Fries subdues it with his freeze gun.
Mudface was Glory Griffin, a production assistant on Basil Karlo’s final film. She idolized him and tried to remind him of who he was when he was attacking the crew. Karlo drowned her in chemicals that gave her the powers of a Clayface but none of the control. Griffin existed as a clay blob being. She became a member of the Victim Syndicate.
1 Basil Karlo (Modern)
DC Rebirth re-imagined Basil Karlo as the son of a Creature Effects Designer who had created a special putty called Renu with the capability of being molded to resemble anyone. He became an incredibly successful actor but a car crash destroyed his looks. He attempted to steal Renu but was apprehended by Batman. A second attempt doused him in the chemicals which turned him into a monstrous new Clayface.
Karlo aided the Riddler in his “War of Jokes and Riddles” and carved out his own section of Gotham during the Arkham War. Realizing that Karlo needed help instead of further imprisonment, Batman offered him a place on his new team of Gotham Knights. Karlo was a surprisingly effective soldier and befriended several members. Which made it much harder when Batwoman had to kill him when he was infected by the Monster Man Serum.