Clayface is the identity used by a number of shapeshifting supervillains who have battled the Batman. He is notable for being a classic villain who is metahuman rather that a deranged 'normal' human being like most in the Batman's rogues gallery.

The first Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40. He was an actor who was driven mad when he heard of a remake of the classic horror film he had starred in. Donning the mask of the film's villain, the Clayface, he embarked on a murder spree among the cast and crew of the remake. He was foiled by Batman and Robin, and incarcerated in Arkham Asylum.

The second Clayface, Matt Hagen, first appeared in Detective Comics #298. A treasure hunter, Hagen found a mysterious radioactive pool of protoplasm in a cave. Immersing himself in it, he was transformed into a malleable clay-like form which can be shaped into almost anything he desires, though this was only a temporary effect, requiring him to return to the pool periodically in order to maintain use of his powers. Hagen was ultimately killed during the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

The third Clayface, Preston Payne, first appeared in Detective Comics #478. Suffering from hyperpituitarism , Payne worked at S.T.A.R. Labs searching for a cure. He obtained a sample of the then-living Matt Hagen's blood, and isolated an enzyme which he introduced into his own bloodstream. Although he was briefly able to shape his own appearance, this effect was short-lived: while on a date, his flesh began to melt, and when he touched his horrified date, she completely melted. Payne built an exoskeleton to prevent himself from touching anyone, but he learned that he needed to spread his melting contagion onto others to survive. He fought and was defeated by Batman, and was believed dead for a time.

The fourth Clayface, Sondra Fuller, also known as Lady Clay, first appeared in Outsiders (volume 1) #21. She was an agent of Kobra who was transformed into a shape-changer by her employer's technologies. She possesses identical abilities to those of Matt Hagen, but without the requirement for a source of protoplasm. She was defeated by the Outsiders.

The third and fourth Clayfaces teamed up, breaking the original Clayface out of prison. Karlo managed to copy the others' powers, and the three battled and were defeated by Batman. Payne and Fuller fell in love, and eventually became recluses and had a child together. Basil Karlo is currently active as Clayface.