Since Clayface began production, one key influence has lingered over the movie. Mike Flanagan, who penned the screenplay, named the Batman: The Animated Series two-part episode “Feat of Clay” as a major inspiration. Flanagan chose well, as “Feat of Clay” has all the hallmarks of a great Batman story. It features the Dark Knight using his detective skills to solve the mystery of why someone who looks like Bruce Wayne is committing crimes. It layers tragedy into its villain’s life, as Matt Hagen seeks more face-changing serum to regain his movie-star looks. And it all borders on the horrific because of Clayface’s shape-changing abilities. But while “Feat of Clay” is a remarkable…feat, there’s a Batman show out there with a more compelling version of Clayface: The Batman.cnx.cmd.push(function() {cnx({playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530",}).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796");});The Batman debuted in 2004 on the now-defunct Kids WB channel and faced an uphill battle from its first episode. The animated series arrived at the tail end of Justice League Unlimited’s run, inviting unfair comparisons. Fans also bristled at the idea of a younger Bruce Wayne who ate nachos and went to basketball games, though that arguably fit the persona of an early-2000s playboy. It wasn’t until the season 1 finale, “The Rubberface of Comedy/The Clayface of Tragedy,” however, that The Batman delivered a story that hooked doubters and fans alike.hdHBO Max Amazon ChannelFlathdHBO MaxFlathdApple TV Store$ 14.99sdGoogle Play Movies$ 12.99Source: JustWatchIn “The Rubberface of Comedy,” the Joker captures Detective Ethan Bennet (voiced by Steve Harris) and subjects him to psychological torture, including injecting him with a strange “putty” that has a terrifying effect. “The Clayface of Tragedy” cements this, as Bennett transforms into Clayface because of the mysterious substance. Driven mad, Bennett tries to kill his former commanding officer, Commissioner Rojas, but Batman stops him.“The Rubberface of Comedy” and “The Clayface of Tragedy” hit hard because they fit the standard Batman trope of Bruce Wayne’s friend becoming a supervillain (see also: Tommy Elliot a.k.a. Hush and Talia al Ghul). Before these episodes, Bennett and Bruce were best friends; Bennett even stood up for Batman’s vigilante activities, opposing his partner, Ellen Yin. Seeing him become Clayface is truly tragic: Bruce Wayne lost a friend, and Batman gained an enemy. Future episodes only further heightened that tragedy, as Bennett struggled to maintain his grasp on sanity but fell to his homicidal tendencies.What makes The Batman’s take on Clayface stand out is that it mirrors another iconic foe in Two-Face. Like Ethan Bennett, Harvey Dent was an ally of Batman’s who suffered an event that left him physically and mentally scarred. Since Two-Face never showed up in The Batman, Clayface took his place as Batman’s most tragic foe. Kudos to writer Christopher Yost, who previously penned the tragic comic book figure X-23 in X-Men: Evolution, for making Bennett’s story feel compelling. The Batman sees Bennett return to battle the Dark Knight in multiple episodes, including “Meltdown,” where he sought to kill the Joker, and “Grundy’s Night,” where he disguises himself as Solomon Grundy. His story finally comes to an end in the episode “Clayfaces”, which features Basil Karlo ingesting the same element that transformed Bennett, granting him shapeshifting abilities. With Batman’s help, Bennett eventually beats Karlo and is finally cured, choosing to serve out the rest of his sentence in Arkham Asylum.Matt Hagen may have laid the groundwork for Clayface to be a compelling figure, but Ethan Bennett far surpassed him in tragedy.The post The Best Version of Clayface Isn’t in Batman: The Animated Series appeared first on Den of Geek.