Clayface Backstory Revealed Ahead Of New Movie

Don’t let the fact that he’s getting a movie fool you, as it’s anyone’s guess whether Clayface will play a significant role in the DC Cinematic Universe. Still, while Clayface has been around for ages in the DC and Batman mythology, it’s not unthinkable that Clayface could be considered a lesser-known Batman villain, which is why Clayface being given the limelight in the DCU so soon has been wildly unpredictable.

The DCU Clayface movie won’t even be the first time we’ve seen the character in this cinematic franchise’s original continuity, since he already appeared in Creature Commandos. Clayface will be an origin story for the villain, and anyone who wants to learn and read more about the character before the movie is released this spooky season has a comic book to indulge in monthly until then.

Clayface’s DCU Debut Just Got Assigned More Homework

Aside from his wonderfully novel, clay sculptor-esque iteration in Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s ongoing Absolute Batman series, Clayface’s brand-new limited series, Clayface: Celebrity Dirt, is giving uninitiated fans a crash course on the foundations of the character:

AHEAD OF DC STUDIOS’ CLAYFACE MOVIE, WITNESS BASIL KARLO BRING THE MUD AND THE PAIN BACK TO DC COMICS!

Before he was Clayface, Basil Karlo was one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. As he breaks out of Arkham once again, he’s ready to stage his comeback, but there’s just one problem: Someone already beat him to it, and Basil Karlo is already a massive star. But if that’s true, what’s next for the real Basil? And what does his predicament have to do with young women disappearing in Los Angeles and a new supplement causing hideous transformations in its users?

Acclaimed horror writer Jude Ellison S. Doyle and rising star artist Fran Galán join forces for a bold new miniseries that’s equal parts body horror and Hollywood glamour.

If the DCU Clayface has half as much emotional and psychological complexity as Clayface: Celebrity Dirt, fans should be in for a treat this October.

The DCU Is Putting Its Eggs In The Basket Of Batman’s Rogues’ Gallery

CLAYFACE CELEBRITY DIRT COVER, SHOWING THE VILLAIN EMERGING FROM THE SEWERS

Not a single person, no matter how big a Clayface fan they claim to be, had it on their bingo card that Clayface would be the third movie to launch in the DCU’s infancy, following only Superman and Supergirl. It’s commendable that the DCU wasn’t compelled to only feature the DC characters who are already overwhelmingly popular, but Clayface, in particular, was truly out of left field.

For instance, we don’t even officially have someone cast as the DCU’s Batman yet, and Batman has only appeared briefly as a cameo in Creature Commandos. Plus, there is apparently a movie starring Bane and Deathstroke in the works; it’s admittedly a bit weird, then, that the DCU seems committed to fleshing out Batman’s rogues’ gallery, rather than Batman himself.

Of course, Clayface looks terrific. It’s leaning heavily on body horror, and the trailer did a great job of quelling any fears that it would be too campy or have the same lighthearted, funny tone that is maintained throughout the rest of the DCU thus far. Clayface: Celebrity Dirt isn’t an adaptation of the movie, though it’ll be interesting to see how they compare in terms of their atmosphere and protagonist backstories when the movie is released this fall, seeing as the former is basically only launching in an attempt to synergize with the latter and generate more excitement for the DCU’s iteration of the character.

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 is out now.