10 DC Heroes Who Were Once Criminals

3. Clayface (Basil Karlo)

Tigress DC Comics
DC Comics

Although most might solely see him as a villain from Batman's rogues gallery, the recent updates to Clayface’s arc have nevertheless put him in league with the Batfamily. Prior to this, Basil Karlo (aka Clayface) would try his hand at fighting Batman through villain based organizations, like the Secret Society of Super-Villains, as well through any of the many hair-brained schemes previously concocted by other Gotham based villains.

Over the years, however, Basil began to grow weary of his criminal ventures that really weren't much of a success. Basil then decides to throw in the towel and proceeds to spend his days watching old films that he had acted in before he was irreversibly transformed into a monster. Batman then later finds Clayface like this, and rather than let him waste away in his own misery, he instead offers him the chance to find fulfillment in protecting Gotham City.

He then accepts Batman's offer and joins the efforts to contain the actual monsters that Hugo Strange had then unleashed onto Gotham City. Though it is certainly a departure from the traditionalist view of him, Clayface’s arc is nevertheless a reminder that villains are capable of redemption.

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