Joshua's Jottings

  Now we dive into Gotham City's resident mudslinger, Clayface! But for this list, we are not taking a look at just one Clayface, but all of them! For those unaware, there have actually been a total of four characters (five if you count a certain clay child) who have taken the moniker of Clayface over the years; each distinct from the other. These characters include Basil Karlo; the actor turned murderer and later turned into a clay being himself, Matt Hagen; small-time hood turned into a shape-shifting clay creature with immense power, Preston Payne; a deformed scientist who ends up turning himself into a true monster that is deadly to the touch and Sondra Fuller; a female Clayface who later married Preston Payne and birthed his child. With so many different versions of the character, this list was actually pretty easy to make. Each iteration has been featured in some truly memorable comics, so here they are! 10.) Nowhere Man by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo  During his lat...

  Now we are going to get a much-needed therapy session with the man himself, Hugo Strange! Created in 1940, Strange was one of the earliest adversaries Batman had ever faced, as well as his first recurring foe. The character often fluctuates from either being a mad scientist or an unhinged psychiatrist, but is always obsessed with the Dark Knight. Remarkably, both interpretations work very well for the character and have made for some quality comics. Some, but sadly not a lot. Despite Hugo's consistent track record of strong stories, this might actually be the hardest list I have had to make so far, but not for the reasons you might think. You see, it is not that Hugo does not have a lot of good stories, but rather because he hardly has any stories at all! For such a great villain, it is shocking how few comics actually feature him in a starring role. When Strange does appear, it is usually in a supporting role to another villain or a small cameo. Because of this, I actually think...