Clayface Gets Horrific New Series Ahead Of The Batman Villain's Big DCU Debut

Clayface gets a horrific new series ahead of the Batman villain’s big DCU debut. One of the signature villains of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, Clayface will soon star in his own DCU film, directed by James Watkins from a script by horror maestro Mike Flanagan. Ahead of Basil Karlo’s big-screen debut, DC Comics is releasing a horror-tinged look at the Clayface legacy.

There have been multiple Clayfaces throughout DC history, and the first debuted just a year after The Dark Knight’s first appearance. Basil Karlo, patterned after horror actors such as Boris Karloff, was a washed-up film star who adopted a horrifying mask to commit crimes. In comics’ Silver Age, Clayface became a shape-shifter, and every incarnation of the character since has riffed on a body horror theme. The third Clayface used his abilities to melt people, and the fourth could change her shape like Hagen. In current DC continuity, Karlo is once again Clayface, but has moved more towards “anti-hero” status.

Watkins’ upcoming film will focus on the Matt Hagen incarnation. Early reports regarding Clayface suggest Hagen will be an actor, much like the Karlo version of the character. Hagen becomes disfigured and seeks treatment, which turns him into Clayface. Despite not calling the character Basil Karlo, Watkins and Flanagan have patterned their take on Clayface after him, so it is only fitting that he stars in a new series ahead of his DCU debut.

Clayface Gets His First Book in 86 Years This Summer

Celebrity Dirt Goes Full Tilt Into All the Clayface Variants

Arriving in comic shops this summer, Clayface: Celebrity Dirt, written by Jude Ellison S Doyle and drawn by Fran Galan, features Basil Karlo, as he contends with a duplicate that has replaced him. DC revealed more about Clayface: Celebrity Dirt’s plot:

When Basil Karlo breaks out of Arkham, he’s ready to reclaim the Hollywood crown he lost years ago. But the world he returns to is stranger than ever: a creeping new plague is twisting ordinary citizens into clay-warped reflections of his own nightmares, and a charismatic body double has taken over Basil’s life, becoming a bigger movie star than the real Basil ever was. As a disturbing pattern begins to emerge around this new celebrity, Basil must confront the darkest parts of his past and trace both mysteries to their source. His search leads him deep into the history of the Clayface family and face-to-face with one of its most dangerously unstable members.

DC also released six unlettered preview pages, shared here, that set the stage for Clayface’s great comeback. While not offering specific context, the preview pages are a glorious showcase for Fran Galan’s art.

Celebrity Dirt writer Doyle comes from the horror genre, and the book promises to draw heavily from that field. Doyle will be drawing extensively on the body horror subgenre for Celebrity Dirt, but the book will be psychologically rich as well. When asked for thoughts on Basil Karlo, Doyle had this to say:

By giving Basil the fame he’s always wanted—or giving SOMEONE that fame, anyway—we were able to tell a story about accountability, redemption, and how to tell the difference between somebody who’s actually trying to change for the better and someone who’s using their celebrity to get away with murder.

The entire Clayface lineage is rich in story potential, and Celebrity Dirt looks to explore it in full.

The identity of who has replaced Basil Karlo will also be central to Celebrity Dirt, making the book a mystery story as well. Shape-shifting characters such as Clayface allow writers and artists to explore themes of identity and selfhood, and Celebrity Dirt will do just that. Doyle’s assessment of Basil Karlo is spot-on. This grasp of the character ensures that Celebrity Dirt will be the best Clayface story yet.

It Is Time for Clayface to Be Recognized as One of Batman's Best Villains

Celebrity Dirt Will Center Clayface Ahead of His DCU Debut

Clayface has been a part of the Batman mythos for over 80 years, and only now is he receiving his due. While Clayface has appeared in other Batman media, most notably The Animated Series, this will be his first appearance on the big screen. While it may seem odd to cart Clayface out in the DCU before Batman, the move keeps with James Gunn’s tendency to shine a light on lesser-known characters. Last year’s Superman made household names out of Krypto and Mister Terrific, and now Gunn is going to work his magic on Clayface.

And while fans wait for Clayface’s fall theatrical premiere, DC is giving this classic Batman villain his first book after 86 years in the trenches. It will take readers on a journey into the Clayface legacy, all while telling a compelling and rich story that reaffirms why he is one of The Dark Knight’s best villains. It will set the stage perfectly for the DCU film.

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 is on sale July 8 from DC Comics!