Clayface

Clayface (real name Matthew Hagen) is a shape-changing supervillain with a monstrous mud-like appearance.

Early life
Hagen was a member of the League of Shadows, but not a very good one. When he found he had terminal cancer, he devised a plan to gain access to the Lazarus Pit, by dating Talia al Ghul.

Present
Ra's al Ghul did not approve of the relationship, but after several pleas, he reluctantly agreed. When Talia told Hagen, he revealed his true motive. Talia, still not fully recovered from being rejected byBatman, was heartbroken, and out of spite, showed him to the pit. Once he was fully submerged, she closed the lid and locked it. Hagen was stuck.

After Ra's al Ghul used the pit, Clayface walked out of it. He was confused, and did not know what happened to him.

After Talia and Sensei were unable to stop the transformed Hagen, Ra's used his powers of persuasion to order him to sleep. Hagen was shipped to Gotham City to bother Batman, out of revenge for stopping his plans.

Clayface was delivered to the Wayne Foundation in a canister. Once he escaped, he was not fully aware how he got there and what Talia did to him. He attacked the guards, and Batman and Robin. Clayface could withstand all their actions, even two tasers, and managed to escape to the sewers.

Batman had called in the Team to track Clayface, and not engage him until he had come up with a solution. Clayface discovered his pursuers, and attacked them.

The fight led to an old warehouse, where Clayface defeated the entire Team. He was preparing to finish them off, starting with Aqualad. Luckily, Batman arrived on the scene and intervened, using a stronger taser against him. The electricity prevented him from maintaining his form, and he dissolved into a puddle of mud on the ground.

Powers and abilities
Before his transformation, Hagen was in shape, but not very skilled at being a Shadow.

After his transformation, he can change the density and size of his body mass, allowing him to take a variety of shapes. As a result he is able to fashion his form and limbs into weapons, like spiked anvils, and use them at any time he wants.

Background in other media
In the comics there have been eight versions of Clayface: Basil Karlo, Matt Hagen, Preston Payne, Sondra Fuller, Cassus "Clay" Payne, Dr. Peter Malley, Todd Russel, and Johnny Williams. There have also been other versions of Clayface who have appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, The Batman, and also the short-lived Birds of Prey series. The appearance of this Clayface bears a strong resemblance to the DCAU Matt Hagen, and the current comic incarnation of Basil Karlo. This version is named after Matt Hagen, but his origin is revised.