One wonders how Boris Karloff felt about becoming a Batman villain.
Was he amused, or irritated, or did he never hear about it at all?
In fact, Karloff was probably too busy to read comic books in 1940, the year Detective Comics 40 introduced the villain “Basil Karlo,” i.e. Clayface. Since his major success as the monster in 1931’s Frankenstein, Karloff had appeared in 37 movies, most of them horror films, and was thus well established as Hollywood’s King of Horror.
When Detective Comics 40 hit America’s newsstands in May 1940, Karloff was starring around the corner in the Columbia Pictures horror/science fiction film The Man with Nine Lives.
The fictional Karlo, once a star of equal stature, had been undermined by his own bad publicity. Outraged that a movie company was remaking his old picture Dread Castle, the deranged Karlo adopted his Clayface disguise so he could kill the actors just as they were to die in the movie.
The Dynamic Duo thwarted him, but then an accident allowed Karlo to escape from a prison ambulance and try to get revenge against Batman, Robin and actress Julie Madison, Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend (Clayface Walks Again, Detective Comics 49, March 1941).
Clayface would be reshaped again and again. Finding a mysterious pool, treasure hunter Matt Hagen became a shapeshifter Clayface in Detective Comics 298 (Dec. 1961). And using Hagen’s blood, Preston Payne became a monstrous Clayface who could melt others with a touch in Detective Comics 478 (July-Aug. 1978).
In fact, you can trace Batman’s evolution through the iterations of Clayface. Basil Karlo epitomized the Dark Knight’s pulpish weird menace era in the late 1930s. Matt Hagen was an example of the science fictional silly fun of the 1950s. And Preston Payne represented a return to the weird menace era in the 1970s, but with neo-noir-ish science fictional elements mixed in.
Many other Clayfaces have been added since, enough for a whole Legion of Clayfaces, in fact.
Bruce Kanin said:
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite incarnation of The Bat-Man. I even tolerated Robin, although I still preferred that he was a one-shot and not a regular partner of the Dark Knight, who, to me, became less "dark" via Dick Grayson.
I replied:
Bruce Kanin I've never had a problem with Robin. His bright colors made a pleasant contrast with Batman's blue and gray.
Bruce Kanin wrote:
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much a problem because I've loved Batman from the beginning - even through his campy sci-fi years of the 50 & early 60s. However, my favorite incarnation of him, as mentioned umpteen times before, is the really dark loner who is one punch away from killing the criminals he despises (but won't).
Vincent Mariani wrote:
ReplyDeleteBruce Kanin, That's the irony of the kid character...that young readers of Batman always identified with the main character. Robin was good for corny banter, getting captured and rescued, yelling "Look out", etc., but it was Batman who was the compelling character.
Various stories have been told as to the reason for the creation of Robin (including providing potential for more dialog), but if it was for kids' to identify with him, it didn't work in any case that I ever heard of.
Bruce Kanin wrote:
Vincent Mariani Yet, would kids have been drawn to BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS if not for Robin? Or, if sales were good w/o him, why was Robin added? I realize that there were a lot of "kid sidekicks" back then. Even Jimmy Olsen served that purpose.
Vincent Mariani wrote:
Bruce Kanin Amazingly, the template set with Batman having a young partner was replicated over and over in the Golden Age, and lasted as a hangover in the Silver Age with Robin, Speedy, and newly minted characters like Kid Flash and Aqualad.
Steve Pay wrote"
ReplyDeleteBy my understanding, Karloff was a pretty laid back guy, so I suspect he might have had a chuckle and poured himself another martini.
ReplyDeleteJohn Neisler wrote:
Probably didn't mind too much as he narrated and voiced How the Grinch stole Christmas in 1966.
I replied:
Think if he'd played Clayface on the Batman TV show!
Frank Johnson wrote:
ReplyDeleteYou know I think Uncle Boris would have been flattered by it. After all in the original stage production of Arsenic and Old Lace the escape convict complained of his recent plastic surgery work, saying, "They made me look like Boris Karloff." Karloff originated that role on stage.
I replied:
I thought of that great line too. He was also a villain in drag on "The Girl from UNCLE."
Rocco Giorgio wrote:
ReplyDeleteWas Matt Hagen a distant relative,lol,have a great day.
I replied:
I wondered that when I was about 6. lol. Wouldn't mind being able ot transform into anything — something I already do in my imagination, come to think of it.
Anthony Tollin wrote:
ReplyDeleteAnd in the latter months of 1940, Boris Karloff was in rehearsals to star in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE on Broadway ... and also making numerous guest appearances on LIGHTS OUT, INNER SANCTUM and other radio shows!