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WHO COUNTS IN COUNTDOWN? – Episode #42 by Bruce MacIntosh
Every week, DC’s Countdown introduces characters unfamiliar to some readers. They may play a small role and it can be difficult to tell what shape their appearances will take in the DC Universe. Fear not! The Pulse is here to fit even the most minute details into their proper mold. In case you couldn’t tell, the subjects of this week’s article are two characters who appeared in the most recent issue: Ryan Choi, the All New Atom, and Clayface!
RYAN CHOI – The All-New Atom As we will detail in just a couple of weeks, the “Silver Age” Atom, Ray Palmer, went missing at the conclusion of the 2004 mini-series Identity Crisis. In that series, Palmer was forced to hunt down and capture his own ex-wife, Jean Loring. Loring did some really bad things, which we won’t go into here. (But see Who Counts in Countdown?, Episode #44 – Eclipso, for more information about Loring.) She was adjudged criminally insane and socked away in Arkham Asylum.
Feeling responsible for Loring’s actions and disgusted by the events of what we know as Identity Crisis (most of us were), Palmer decided he needed a little “alone time”. He discarded his Justice League communicator and shrank himself to microscopic size. He has not been seen since, but one of the main plot-points of Countdown is “The Search for Ray Palmer” – and who better to accomplish this than his “replacement”, Ryan Choi, the All-New Atom?!
Ryan first appeared in the pages of Brave New World (2006), a one-shot oversized comic, which previewed several new series and mini-series that would be premiering in subsequent months. (Besides The All New Atom, the premiers also included five mini-series commencing the following month: Martian Manhunter, OMAC, Creeper, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters, and The Trials of Shazam.)
Although this was the first appearance of the All-New Atom, the events in Brave New World actually took place between what would eventually become The All New Atom, Issues #5 & 6. It was in the midst of a climactic battle with an inter-dimensional group called the Waiting in a microscopic environment on the back of the President of the United States’ dog.
Although only a preview, the brief appearance in Brave New World introduced us to most of the main characters and gave a flavor for the odd series that was about to follow: Twenty-four year old Physics professor Ryan Choi had assumed not only Ray Palmer’s vacated professorship at Ivy University, but the identity and size-changing abilities of the Atom.
It was not until the first issue of The All-New Atom that we start learning Choi’s true background. He grew up in Hong Kong, and while other kids were rowdy dunderheads (always wanted to use that word in an article) Ryan was fascinated by all things science-related. He was also a fan of Ray Palmer’s research in America, and vowed to not only meet but follow in the scientist’s footsteps. He corresponded with Palmer for years, and it was Ray who convinced Ryan to accept a professorship at Ivy University upon receiving his Doctorate.
As it turned out, by the time Ryan arrived in the United States, Palmer had disappeared and Choi was there to fill the vacant professorship at the University. Choi correctly suspected that Palmer had left clues as to his whereabouts, and found them in the form of anagrams etched on sewing needles, scattered throughout Palmer’s house.
Solving the codes in the anagrams led Choi to the Atom’s size-changing belt, which accidentally shrunk him to a centimeter tall. What followed was a classic Atom mini-adventure, where the unclothed Choi was forced to fashion his shirt tag into a makeshift toga, and battle a giant slobbering rat.
Later, Choi’s fellow eggheads at the University presented the All-New Atom with a “particle drive”-powered “Bangstick”. This device resembles a chrome relay-race baton, which Choi rides like a flying surfboard when he shrinks to six inches tall.
This new series is written by Gail Simone, who has received critic praise for the unique stories. Sales-wise, however, it got off to a rough start. This was possibly because of the inconsistent art (it changed pencilers five times in the first year), and possibly because it was so strange. According to Simone, some of the initial concepts and stories were based on “concepts” provided by Grant Morrison.
Although Simone is perfectly able to dream up some wacky stories on her own, I suspect that Morrison’s influence may account for some part of the eclectic brand of opponent for the new Mighty Mite. Here is a sample of some of the characters who appeared in the series’ first year: A race of microscopic aliens with bizarre grasp of syntax; a cancer god; a serial killer who could also shrink; a Linear Man; and a gigantic naked female professor with a “crush” on Choi.
He had also relocated to Ivy Town, which - because Palmer’s previous constant size-changing distorted the fabric of reality - had become the home for everything from pilgrims to those tiny aliens who perceive reality outside of the accepted space-time continuum. All this culminated in Professor Choi’s new home becoming the scene of a climactic battle between the forces of magic and science.
The stories settled down after that crazy magic vs. science free-for-all, and Simone has chosen to focus instead on several classic Atom-style science fiction-focused stories. One highlight was when the All-New Atom went to Ivy Town’s (possible) far-flung future with a man who was split right down the middle. (His left side was completely gone and you could see his innards and everything! Ewww.)
The arc that concluded immediately before the current “Search for Ray Palmer” storyline was another tremendous story involving Choi’s return to Hong Kong to save the love of his life from his childhood foes. The catch? Those foes were actually undead, and seeking revenge against the object of Choi’s unrequited teenage love for causing their deaths! This was definitely not your typical zombie story.
Who Counts in Countdown? is not normally a review-based feature, but when we’re discussing a series that has only been around for a year, it’s difficult to avoid including one’s own opinion… So here goes: The first major arc was so strange, that I almost considered dropping it from the pull list. (Admittedly, this was in large part based on the fact that I’m not a fan of the series’ initial artist.) However, now that Simone has hit her stride, the writing has excelled and the series has become downright fun! Combine that with the superior artistic skills of now-regular artist Mike Norton, and this series is now at the top of my stack every month.
Even the lone holdovers from that crazy first arc – a giant floating head that gets drunk on canned spray cheese, and a taxi-driver with a removable head who speaks in anagrams – are endearing in that they inject a sense of humor into proceedings that would otherwise make the book overly dark. (Zombie bullies with a murderous lust for revenge?) Anyone who wants to see what all the fuss was about with the first six-issue arc should pick up the recently-released trade (My Life in Miniature), but definitely the back issues following those reprinted in the trade (Issues #7 through #11).
The Search for Ray Palmer starts with The All New Atom #12 and continues in Issue #13 – both still on the stands. This series is a “must read” for both Atom fans and anyone who wants an entertaining title that is different from any other superhero book out there. DC has promised that the quest for the previous Atom is key to not only the events in Countdown, but also the future of the entire DC Universe… So this is the title to be reading!
CLAYFACE
I suspect that most people’s first exposure to Batman’s most viscous villain was in three absolutely brilliant and memorable episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. However, the character has been confronting the Caped Crusader since the commencement of his crime fighting career.
The character Clayface first appeared way back in Detective Comics #40 (Jun 1940) as Basil Karlo, an actor who went off the deep end when he heard a classic horror film in which he starred was going to be remade. He donned his character’s mask (Clayface) and murders the cast and crew of the new film.
The next appearance of a character named Clayface did not occur for over 20 years, in Detective Comics #298 (Dec 1961). This time, it was treasure-hunter Matt Hagan who physically transformed into a putty-like being, after he found a radioactive pool of protoplasm in a cave. The effects were only temporary, however, and required periodic re-immersion in the pool to restore his shape-changing abilities for two days.
Hagen eventually copied the chemical properties of the pool and was able reproduce its effects, albeit for only five hours at a time. Like so many other heroes and villains, Hagen was killed during the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985).
A third Clayface appeared in Detective Comics #478 (Aug 1978). There, Preston Payne obtained a sample of the (still-living) Matt Hagen’s blood while working at S.T.A.R. Labs to find a cure for his own hyperpituitarism. Payne isolated a special enzyme in Hagen’s blood, which he introduced into his own system. Initially, Payne was able to change his shape and believed himself cured. But the long-term effects were gruesome, as he learned – to the horrible death of his girlfriend – that anyone he touches would melt.
Payne constructed and wore a containment suit to prevent him from coming in contact with another human, but soon learned that the excruciating pain he felt coul only be relieved by physically spreading his contagion to others and melting them.
The malleable malefactor Clayface appeared a fourth time, in the person of Sondra Fuller. Fuller initially gave herself the more feminine appellation, Lady Clay, in The Outsiders #21 (Jul 1987). Because of her hatred of her own face, she volunteered to be given shape-changing abilities by the criminal agency Kobra. She was then endowed with the same shape-changing abilities as Matt Hagen, without the impermanence since she did not require a re-infusion of protoplasm. She had the added ability of reproducing the special powers of whomever she mimicked.
In 1989, the exo-suited Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller met the first Clayface (Basil Karlo) as he was released from prison, having served his original sentence for the murders on the movie set. They formed the “Mudpack” which rageed through the pages of Detective Comics #604 through #607 (early Sep – late Oct 1989), with Sondra Fuller using the Looker’s (an Outsiders team member) psionic powers of persuasion to keep the lunatic Preston Payne Clayface in check.
In the climax of this superior 4-part series, written by Alan Grant with art by Norm Breyfogle and Steve Mitchell, Preston and Sondra learned that they were duped by Basil Karlo, who extracted both of their clay-ness and injected himself with it. Meanwhile, Karlo captured and hypnotized the Batman, forcing him to re-live all the events in his life that made him the most fearful. Even though this tale involved several gooey and gruesome piles of mud-people, the creepiest part – in my opinion – is the yucky love scene between the Sondra Fuller and Preston Payne Clayfaces.
At the conclusion of the saga in Detective #607, the third and fourth Clayfaces absconded to continue their icky romance, while Batman and the Looker defeated the newly empowered Basil Karlo. Karlo burned his way through the ground, prompting Bats to muse that they’d better alert the authorities in China for when Clayface concludes his journey through the center of the Earth. (That Batman is such a Joker.)
Sondra and Preston eventually (somehow) produced a son, Cassius “Clay” Payne, who inherited some of the abilities of both his parents, with a bit of a twist: He was able to remove pieces of himself to become duplicates (albeit somewhat mentally deficient versions). If any of these pieces merged with a human, that human would also gain Clayface-like powers.
Which led to “Claything”. When a piece of Cassius bonded with one Dr. Peter Malley, he became a hyper-version of Clayface, who could melt anyone just by looking at them. This version was destroyed and remains in containment at the Department of Extranormal Operations. (Batman #550, Jan 1998.)
Although it wasn’t revealed which Clayface, someone with the ability to shapeshift appeared in Batman #617 – 618 (Sep – Oct, 2003). Batman didn’t realize the truth at first, when an aged version of Jason Todd appeared to taunt the Dark Knight at Jason’s gravesite. However, with clay residue after their battle, he eventually realized that this was someone impersonating his former sidekick who perished at the hands of the Joker years before.
Clayface V (Cassius) reappeared in Batman – Gotham Knights #70 (Dec 2005), when Bruce Wayne’s manservant Alfred was infected with the Clayface strain. Super-villain Hush realized he needed a sample of the strain that was untainted with human DNA, and the only source would be from Cassius. Batman intercepted Cassius while he was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum, and asked for his help in curing Alfred. However, this was what Hush had been counting on, and he was able to capture Cassius.
A new Clayface (VI) was created at this time who was a DNA duplicate of Alfred. He came into possession of the only sample of “pure” Clayface DNA from Cassius that Hush wanted. Before dying, the sixth Clayface gave the sample to Batman and asked the Dark Knight’s help in protecting his family.
There have been several other appearances of Clayface in comics over the last decade or so, but the vast majority of those were based on the Batman cartoon series. With his return in the pages of Countdown, we will surely be seeing much more some comics version of the pliable profligate in Batman titles soon.
NEXT WEEK IN WHO COUNTS IN COUNTDOWN?
What once was bad but now is good, wears green and bothers Bats? The answer, of course, is the Riddler! DC’s Querulous Quizmaster appeared in Countdown #42 claiming to have gone straight, but Mary Marvel wasn’t buying it. What’s the real story with this arch-nemesis of the Caped Crusader, and is it true that he’s now one of the good guys? Find out next week, fair reader: Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!
Posts: 20777 | From: PA | Registered: Aug 2002
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Actually, my first exposure to the character of Clayface was in "The New Adventures Of Batman" Filmation cartoon of the 1970's.
Favorite part of the episode was where Batman was chasing the villain (who had turned from a dolphin into a shark), used a smoke screen, with Adam West intoning, "Here's mud in your eye, Clayface!"
Posts: 3415 | From: San Bruno | Registered: Aug 2002
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Both The New Adventures Of Superman and The New Adventures Of Batman (from the 60's and '70s, respectively) are out on DVD now.
Posts: 3415 | From: San Bruno | Registered: Aug 2002
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WHO COUNTS IN COUNTDOWN? – Episode #42
Feeling responsible for Loring’s actions and disgusted by the events of what we know as Identity Crisis (most of us were), Palmer decided he needed a little “alone time”. He discarded his Justice League communicator and shrank himself to microscopic size. He has not been seen since, but one of the main plot-points of Countdown is “The Search for Ray Palmer” – and who better to accomplish this than his “replacement”, Ryan Choi, the All-New Atom?!
As it turned out, by the time Ryan arrived in the United States, Palmer had disappeared and Choi was there to fill the vacant professorship at the University. Choi correctly suspected that Palmer had left clues as to his whereabouts, and found them in the form of anagrams etched on sewing needles, scattered throughout Palmer’s house.
This new series is written by Gail Simone, who has received critic praise for the unique stories. Sales-wise, however, it got off to a rough start. This was possibly because of the inconsistent art (it changed pencilers five times in the first year), and possibly because it was so strange. According to Simone, some of the initial concepts and stories were based on “concepts” provided by Grant Morrison.
He had also relocated to Ivy Town, which - because Palmer’s previous constant size-changing distorted the fabric of reality - had become the home for everything from pilgrims to those tiny aliens who perceive reality outside of the accepted space-time continuum. All this culminated in Professor Choi’s new home becoming the scene of a climactic battle between the forces of magic and science. 
The arc that concluded immediately before the current “Search for Ray Palmer” storyline was another tremendous story involving Choi’s return to Hong Kong to save the love of his life from his childhood foes. The catch? Those foes were actually undead, and seeking revenge against the object of Choi’s unrequited teenage love for causing their deaths! This was definitely not your typical zombie story.
Even the lone holdovers from that crazy first arc – a giant floating head that gets drunk on canned spray cheese, and a taxi-driver with a removable head who speaks in anagrams – are endearing in that they inject a sense of humor into proceedings that would otherwise make the book overly dark. (Zombie bullies with a murderous lust for revenge?) Anyone who wants to see what all the fuss was about with the first six-issue arc should pick up the recently-released trade (My Life in Miniature), but definitely the back issues following those reprinted in the trade (Issues #7 through #11). 
The character Clayface first appeared way back in Detective Comics #40 (Jun 1940) as Basil Karlo, an actor who went off the deep end when he heard a classic horror film in which he starred was going to be remade. He donned his character’s mask (Clayface) and murders the cast and crew of the new film.
Payne constructed and wore a containment suit to prevent him from coming in contact with another human, but soon learned that the excruciating pain he felt coul only be relieved by physically spreading his contagion to others and melting them.
In the climax of this superior 4-part series, written by Alan Grant with art by Norm Breyfogle and Steve Mitchell, Preston and Sondra learned that they were duped by Basil Karlo, who extracted both of their clay-ness and injected himself with it. Meanwhile, Karlo captured and hypnotized the Batman, forcing him to re-live all the events in his life that made him the most fearful. Even though this tale involved several gooey and gruesome piles of mud-people, the creepiest part – in my opinion – is the yucky love scene between the Sondra Fuller and Preston Payne Clayfaces.
Clayface V (Cassius) reappeared in Batman – Gotham Knights #70 (Dec 2005), when Bruce Wayne’s manservant Alfred was infected with the Clayface strain. Super-villain Hush realized he needed a sample of the strain that was untainted with human DNA, and the only source would be from Cassius. Batman intercepted Cassius while he was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum, and asked for his help in curing Alfred. However, this was what Hush had been counting on, and he was able to capture Cassius.
