DC Just Revealed a Major Clayface Mystery Ahead of His DCU Movie

The true identity of one of Batman's most infamous foes has just been called into question, and for the most unsettling reason imaginable.

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 (by Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Fran Galán, Patricio Delpeche, and Tom Napolitano) drops readers into the middle of Arkham Towers, where the titular villain is in the middle of a particularly uncomfortable interview. As it turns out, the doctors at Arkham Tower aren't convinced that this Clayface is who he says he is, and with so many iterations of the same villain roving the streets of Gotham, it is only his rage that keeps him fully convinced he is indeed Basil Karlo.

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1

• Written by JUDE ELLISON S. DOYLE
• Art by FRAN GALÁN
• Colors by PATRICIO DELPECHE
• Letters by TOM NAPOLITANO
• Main cover art by FRAN GALÁN
• Variant covers by MIKE DEL MUNDO and DAVE JOHNSON
• AHEAD OF DC STUDIOS' CLAYFACE MOVIE, WITNESS BASIL KARLO BRING THE MUD AND THE PAIN BACK TO DC COMICS!

Clayface's New Origins Are Explored Through A Thrilling Addition To DC Comics

The official solicit synopsis for Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 from DC Comics reads, "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."

The solicit text continues, "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."

Basil Karlo, a.k.a. Clayface, is one of Batman's oldest villains, with his first appearance taking place all the way back in 1940 in the opening story from Detective Comics #1 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, "The Murders of Clayface." Once an acclaimed actor, Karlo's life took a devastating turn when he embarked upon a brazen killing spree after being seemingly spurned by his Hollywood colleagues.

While Karlo was the first Clayface to bear that mantle, he was far from the first to wield shapeshifting abilities. In fact, there are currently nine separate Clayfaces who are active in the primary DC Universe, many of whom previously came together to form the Mud Pack. Unfortunately, their shifting natures, frequently shared DNA, and fractured mental states have called into question exactly which Clayface is which on more than one occasion.

Currently, the iconic villain is on track to make his silver screen debut in Clayface from director James Watkins. Written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, Clayface will star Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, an actor who is transformed into the shapeshifting behemoth after being disfigured in a brutal attack and seeking out help from fringe scientist Doctor Caitlin Corr, portrayed by Naomi Ackie. Clayface is currently slated to arrive in theaters on October 23.

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 from DC Comics is on sale now.