Earth-0 / Prime Earth
Basil Karlo
Actor Basil Karlo donned the mask of a horror villain and became Gotham's first Clayface — identity, performance, and murder.
First appearance Detective Comics #40 (1940)
Character guide
Clayface
Gotham's shape-shifting nightmare — actor, scientist, and monster in one muddy legend.
Find your first read
Clayface promotional art via TMDB ↗
About Clayface
Clayface is a mantle worn by several Batman villains, most famously Basil Karlo and Preston Payne. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original debuted in Detective Comics #40 (1940). Later versions turned the concept into tragic body horror and perfect impersonation — the through-line for the 2026 DCU film.
- Notable identities
- Basil Karlo, Preston Payne, Matt Hagen
- First appearance
- Detective Comics #40 (1940)
- Created by
- Bill Finger & Bob Kane
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Powers
- Shapeshifting, clay physiology
- Base of operations
- Gotham City
- Notable allies
- Mudpack, Injustice League
- Notable foes
- Batman, Batgirl, Robin
Clayface Across the Multiverse
Earth-0 / Post-Crisis
Preston Payne
Scientist Preston Payne's experimental cure left him a melting monster who needed human contact to survive — Batman's most pitiful foe.
First appearance Detective Comics #478 (1978)
Earth-0
Cassius 'Clay' Payne
Cassius inherited his father's clay condition — a next-generation shapeshifter raised in tragedy.
First appearance Batman #550 (1998)
1 of 3
Required reading
11 stories from the guide
01 / 1989–90
The Mud Pack · Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 4
Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle
View Collected edition on Amazon ↗Four Clayfaces unite — Karlo's Mudpack assault on Gotham.
Collects Detective Comics #601–611 and Detective Comics Annual #2; includes The Mud Pack in #604–607
Before you read None
02 / 2002–03
Batman: Hush
Jeph Loeb & Jim Lee
View Trade paperback · 2019 edition on Amazon ↗Modern Clayface as master impersonator — the identity-horror DNA behind the 2026 film.
Collects Batman #608–619, a six-page story from Wizard #0, and a two-page origin story
Before you read None
03 / 1940
Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 1
Bill Finger & Bob Kane
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Basil Karlo's debut as Clayface — Batman vs. a murderous actor.
Collects Detective Comics #40
Before you read None
04 / 2006
Batman: Face the Face
James Robinson & Don Kramer
View publisher edition ↗Post-Infinite Crisis Batman faces a new wave of murders with Clayface in the mix.
Collects Detective Comics #817–820, Batman #651–654
Before you read None
05 / 1970s–80s
Tales of the Batman: Len Wein
Len Wein & various
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Preston Payne's tragic Clayface stories collected among Len Wein's Batman work.
Collects Selected Detective Comics Clayface tales
Before you read None
06 / 1992–95
Batman: The Animated Series Guide / Feat of Clay era
Paul Dini & Bruce Timm
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗The definitive tragic Matt Hagen Clayface that shaped every later adaptation.
Collects BTAS Feat of Clay and related comics
Before you read None
07 / 1983
Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 1
Mike W. Barr & Jim Aparo
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Clayface and other rogues orbit Batman's international team era.
Collects Batman and the Outsiders #1–8
Before you read None
08 / 1998
Batman: Cataclysm
Various
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Cassius emerges in the earthquake-era Gotham stories.
Collects Batman #550 and related
Before you read None
09 / 2010
Joker's Asylum II: Clayface
Kevin Shinick & Kelley Jones
Basil Karlo, the mud monster, on his own one-shot.
Collects Joker's Asylum II: Clayface #1
Before you read None
10 / 1978
Detective Comics #479
Len Wein & Marshall Rogers
Preston Payne, the man whose touch dissolves, in his containment suit.
Collects Detective Comics #479
Before you read None
11 / 1998
Batman #550
Doug Moench & Kelley Jones
Cassius Payne, the child Clayface, looms over Gotham in Batman #550.
Collects Batman #550
Before you read None
Collectibles & apparel
Film & TV
Film · 2026
Clayface
James Watkins · Tom Rhys Harries
View on IMDb ↗
TV series · 1992–1995
Batman: The Animated Series
Feat of Clay · Ron Perlman
View on IMDb ↗
TV series · 2004–2008
The Batman (2004)
Clayface episodes
View on IMDb ↗Poster artwork courtesy of TMDB.