Every Clayface in DC Comics Explained: Origins, Powers & Why Tom Rhys Harries Could Be the Strongest Yet

The DCU is now stepping into a darker territory, and its foundation has been laid out by the original comics, through characters like Clayface. With the upcoming Clayface movie starring Tom Rhys Harries on the horizon, fans of the franchise must understand why Matt Hagen was chosen for the movie above anyone else. 

And for that to happen, you’ll have to know the history of the mantle, all the different people who held its powers, their origins, and more. So, let’s look at some of the main Clayfaces from the DC comics, including Hagen, who is at the center of this evolving mythos. 

1 Basil Karlo

The original version of Clayface debuted in Detective Comics #40 with Basil Karlo. In his earliest appearances, Basil Karlo had no superpowers at all and relied on disguises, costumes, and theatrics. But when storylines evolved, he injected himself with samples from other Clayfaces and transformed his body. He has the signature shapeshifting power, a clay-like body, imitation, and more. 

2 Matt Hagen

Tom Rhys Harries is set to play Matt Hagen, the most recognized version, who first appeared in Detective Comics #298 during the Silver Age of comics. In the canon comics, he is a treasure hunter who accidentally immerses himself in a radioactive pool, and then his body transforms into a malleable substance. 

He is the first superpowered Clayface who defined what the character is today, and is an extremely versatile shapeshifter. That’s why Harries might be playing one of the strongest versions of the character in DCU’s upcoming Clayface movie. 

3 Preston Payne

One of the darkest and most tragic versions of Clayface is Preston Payne. He debuted in Detective Comics #478 created by Len Wein and Marshall Rogers, and wasn’t driven by revenge or greed, but desperation and loneliness. 

Payne was a scientist who suffered from a severe hormonal disorder, and to cure himself, he experimented with Matt Hagen’s blood sample, but it all backfired. His body became an unstable, melting substance, transforming anything he touched. So, essentially, Payne could melt things, had superhuman strength, and had limited shapeshifting powers in later stories. 

4 Sondra Fuller 

Better known as Lady Clayface, Sondra Fuller was first seen in Outsiders #21. She is the most unique Clayface due to her intelligence and combat training. She joined a secret organization called Kobra, where scientists experimented on her, and the procedure granted her a fully malleable, clay-like body that allowed her to reshape herself at will. Compared to other Clayfaces, Sondra’s shapeshifting and impersonation abilities are more advanced, plus she’s a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and strategist. 

5 Cassius “Clay” Payne

The son of Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller is Cassius “Clay” Payne, who represents a unique evolution of the Clayface mantle because he was born with his powers! He didn’t gain them through accidents or experiment, and his first appearance was in Batman #550. Unlike other Clayfaces, he can maintain his form for a longer period of time. He can also create pieces of himself that turn into separate entities! 

6 Peter Malley

Another tragic Clayface is Peter Malley, aka Claything, and he’s one of the most disturbing and short-lived members of this lineage. He was a scientist who worked for the Department of Extranormal Operations, and his transformation began after he examined a sample of tissue taken from Cassius Payne. Instead of remaining inert, the living tissue bonded and mutated with him, and turned him into a clay-like creature with almost no intelligence. 

So that’s why Claything operated on pure instincts, but he did possess the terrifying death glare, which means he could simply melt or dissolve things by looking at them, without making any physical contact. But his existence was brief because Claything was destroyed in his first major confrontation. 

7 Todd Russell 

Considered as one of the most disturbing versions of Clayface, Todd Russell’s story is all about body horror and serial-killer elements. His narrative is more tied to the world of Catwoman, and he was a former soldier who suffered severe injuries. In an attempt to save or even weaponize him, government scientists conducted experiments on his damaged body. 

Much of his memories were erased, and he transformed into a shapeshifting creature made of clay. After escaping the lab, he became violent and began targeting vulnerable victims. His powers were similar to those of other Clayfaces: shapeshifting, impersonation, superhuman strength, and regeneration. 

8 Johnny Williams 

Johnny Williams was a firefighter whose transformation occurred when he was caught in an explosion at a chemical plant while responding to an emergency. The chemicals fused with his body and turned him into a clay-based shapeshifter, giving him other familiar abilities associated with other Clayfaces. 

Johnny was horrified by what he had become, and Hush manipulated his desperation to turn human by making him impersonate people to torment Batman. Apart from shapeshifting, he could also control people’s minds with a virus, to the point that they would even commit murder. But he eventually realized that he was being manipulated and helped Batman take down Hush.

Here’s an overview of all the Clayfaces:

Clayface Characters	Powers
Basil Karlo	Master of disguise, later gained full shapeshifting, imitation, regeneration, and superhuman strength
Matt Hagen	Complete shapeshifting, body morphing, regeneration
Preston Payne	Melting touch, superhuman strength, limited shapeshifting, corrosive body chemistry
Sondra Fuller	Complete shapeshifting, body morphing, and regeneration
Cassius Payne	Born with powers, long-term shape stability, ability to create independent clay entities
Peter Malley	Limited intelligence, clay physiology, “death glare” capable of dissolving targets
Todd Russell	Shapeshifting, regeneration, superhuman strength
Johnny Williams	Shapeshifting, impersonation, regeneration, and mind control

Here are some questions that readers might have:

Across decades of DC history, the Clayface powers, name, and abilities have been passed through many people. But one figure stands at the center of it all, and that’s Matt Hagen, because he wasn’t just another Clayface, but the turning point. His transformation led to the first true shapeshifting Clayface, and the ones who came after him simply inherited, copied, or evolved. 

So, it makes sense that James Gunn’s DCU has chosen him for the movies because it opens the door for legacy and more Clayfaces in the future. And that’s why Tom Rhys Harries has been bestowed upon the opportunity to play not just the strongest, but the most important version of Clayface! 

So, which of these Clayfaces is your favorite, and why? Let us know! 

Clayface is set to release in theaters on October 23, 2026 (USA).