Who's This? A horror film star.
The facts: The original Clayface Basil Karlo was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane for Detective Comics #40 (June 1940) as a B-list actor who takes on the identity of one of his roles to commit murder (inspired by Lon Chaney Sr.'s 1925 Phantom of the Opera, the name obviously a combination of Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone). He appears only once more (see below) before his IP is hijacked by other villains in later eras. The Who's Who entry must have reminded creators of his existence, because he soon made his return in the Mud Pack storyline which brought four Clayfaces together and also scored each of them a Secret Origins story. By story's end, he's injected himself with the other Clayface's serums and has their powers. He remains an concern through the 2000s and into the New52 and Rebirth eras, seeing as he is now the "ultimate Clayface" that combines all their traits.
How you could have heard of him: Clayface appears in Fear State, the current event overtaking the Bat-titles. Basil Karlo also showed up in the Gotham television show, and is a main character on the Harley Quinn animated series, voiced by Alan Tudyk.
Example story: Detective Comics #49 (March 1941) "Clayface Walks Again" by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos
Quick recap and set-up: Clayface, a has-been, murdered the female star of a remake of one of his old films. "If I can't get into the talkies, no one will ever talk again!" Or something. Batman stops him from killing that actress' understudy, Julie Madison, who just happens to be, get this, Bruce Wayne's fiancee. Now it's months later and the movie (Dread Castle) has come out and it's made Julie a STAR! Studio heads hate her name though, and change it to Portia Storme. She's on the rise, Bruce seems to be floundering, so she calls off the engagement, at least until the old layabout does something with his life.
Now cut to the dark and stormy night Basil Karlo is being transferred to the state asylum (Arkham was 34 years away from a name). A car accident. An escape. Typical. MOMENTS LATER, he's waylaid the clerk of a movie make-up supply store. Less typical. And Clayface is back.
As soon as Batman and Robin read about it, they're off to Karlo's old haunt, Argus Studios, which Clayface is planning to burn down. In a sequence that make me think the original Clayface's whole deal was to offer Batman the chance to fight on movie sets, he hurls some kind of hook ripped off a yacht set at the Dark Knight's back, misses, and the next thing, they're having a kaiju fight over a miniature city!
Clayface manages to get the better of Batman by throwing a miniature train at his head, then, instead of stabbing him or something, puts a brick on a truck's pedal hoping it will run the Bat over. Instead of driving it himself. And of course, he doesn't stick around to see if it works. It's like he's a villain out of some MOVIE! Now Karlo wants to find the Boy Wonder and give him HIS uncertain death.
But Batman threw himself between the wheels of the truck and survived. And then doused himself with water and went into the blaze to save Robin. (See? You can't half-ass Batman's murder, it's just bad execution.) Bruce Wayne feels very revengy all of a sudden. But before he can get ahead of the villain, Clayface is already stalking Juli--I'm sorry, Portia Storme. In fact, the very next day, Clayface has already infiltrated the set of her new Middle Ages picture.
Yes, this master of disguise actually makes it harder on himself with his fright night make-up. Batman and Robin also show up, but like uninvited guests, the guards hired to protect Portia overwhelm them with numbers, allowing Clayface to successfully kill the movie's star!!!
If you can believe that. And of course, you can't. Batman, having disentangled himself from Portia's protection, fights Clayface on the castle set, and despite his age, the villain fights with a madman's strength and vigor. But he can't keep that up forever.
As for the dead Portia - did you guess? - that was Robin wearing a makeshift arrowproof vest, having switched places with the starlet in the commotion. Batman had delivered a Robin costume to her dressing room the night before for just this purpose. Good job, Batman!
This version of Clayface could have continued to commit movie-related crimes and been adapted into one of those fixated villains that fill Gotham. It wasn't meant to be and his star faded for more than 40 years. My actual question is: Why did they change Julie Madison's name?! And indeed, why was it worth doing so when this was going to be her last of five Golden Age appearances?
Who's Next? A muddy villain.
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