B:TAS "Feat of Clay, Parts 1 - 2" Talkback (Spoilers)

[The Penguin]

Discuss this classic two-part Batman: The Animated Series episode!

Episode #020 - Feat of Clay: Part 1
Original Airdate - September 9th, 1992.
Matt Hagen, a popular actor is addicted to a strange chemical formula developed by Roland Daggett's labs. This chemical gives him the ability to alter his facial features without makeup, keeping his looks so that his public doesn't know he was horribly disfigured in an accident years ago. But in return for the stuff, Daggett has him play 'roles' that aren't entirely legal. After a disagreement, Hagen is doused in the formula, becoming the deadly shape-shifter, Clayface.

Episode #021 - Feat of Clay, Part 2
Original Airdate - September 10th, 1992.
Clayface learns that Daggett is going to appear on TV to hype his new product, the same chemical that was his downfall, as a skin conditioner. Clayface takes the disguise of a woman and joins the audience of Summer Gleeson's show. Batman is there, however, and a free-for-all in the Galaxy Broadcasting Building results.

Comments?

 

[Squall]

Great episode! 4 1/2 stars.

Will they show "Feat of Clay", Part II next week at 1:30 am on Toonami's Rising Sun? Please tell me they will!!!

 

[The Penguin]

****

"You needn’t bother searching for him. This is the only place in the world where he can get what he needs—and when his supply runs out, he’ll come to us." - Roland Daggett, Feat of Clay, Part 1

The opening is done fairly well. You almost wonder if Bruce has fallen off his rocker, but then you see Batman on the rooftop and you know for sure that something fishy is going on. It really isn't clear until Hagen is at Daggett Industries and he turns himself into Wayne again to try and trick the thugs. It’s a very good "ah!" moment.

The end when you see Hagen about to let out a scream at the reflection of his new form is a very haunting scene that leaves you on the end of your seat for Part 2! (Which will be airing next week Squall )

 

[JTurner954]

I'm giving it four stars. There was one little thing that confused me: Why would Bruce sneak through the window to see Luscious? That just seemed out of character for Bruce Wayne (not Batman, Bruce). Another villain origin episode done well,nevertheless.

 

[Clayface]

Hehehe. My second all time favorite episode (#1 being part 2!)! Need I explain why?

***** from me!

Originally posted by JTurner954
There was one little thing that confused me: Why would Bruce sneak through the window to see Luscious? That just seemed out of character for Bruce Wayne (not Batman, Bruce).

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe that at the time Bruce came to visit Lucious, he was still wanted by the police for questioning in the attempt on Lucious's life. If Bruce just wandered into the hospital, he would have been taken into custody.

 

[JTurner954]

I still say it's out of character for Bruce Wayne to do such a thing. He has this reputation of being nice, and all of a sudden he's sneaking in through a window.

 

[Batman49]

This episode is a favorite of mine and since I'm kind of biased towards batman anyway I always tend to give each episode a pretty high mark but this one, along with part 2, since to me its really one whole episode, gets ***** from me. I agree that Bruce had to sneak into Lucius Fox's hospital room because he was still wanted for questioning. He couldn't just walk in the front door. It may not be in "Bruce's" character but Batman isn't an idiot either. He can't afford to be taken into custody.

This is another great orgin story by Timm, dini, burnett and co. and made me appreciate Clayface even more. One more thing, isn't the title card great. Man I miss those. I wish Ted Blackman had still been around to do them for TNBA and STAS and maybe even JL. They were a great way to open each episode. Looking forward to part 2.

 

[JTurner954]

It just seemed to me that going to his hospital bed in the middle of the night isn't going to help clear Bruce's name. He should have cooperated with the police instead of running around like a fugitive. I'll just keep objectionable things to a minimum from now on.

 

[Funkatron]

well, he's the batman..."questioning" would probablyy include putting him in the slammmer, which is counter-productive for the dark knight cause he needed to do his own investigation

 

[JTurner954]

Why not just go in disguise (or as batman for that matter), or or show up in the shadows to see Gordon like he sometimes did??

And keep in mind that I like this episode, so don't try to twist it around as if I hate it.

 

[Funkatron]

lol

he just wanted to see his friend as bruce, to try to convince lucious it wasn't him who tried to kill him; I could understand Y he did it

 

[Clayface]

Originally posted by ionspark

he just wanted to see his friend as bruce, to try to convince lucious it wasn't him who tried to kill him; I could understand Y he did it

Exactly. He was trying to kill two birds with one stone. First, he wanted to make an appearance as Bruce to convince Lucious it wasn't him, and secondly, while he was trying to calm Lucious's fears, he could collect info that may help him in the investigation. And if he went in the front door, he'd e taken into custody. Makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[JTurner954]

Wait , so you mean to tell me that you think Lucious would calm down after seeing the same guy who tried to kill him and that he would actually believe Bruce?? Ok, whatever.

 

[Clayface]

Originally posted by JTurner954
Wait , so you mean to tell me that you think Lucious would calm down after seeing the same guy who tried to kill him and that he would actually believe Bruce??

It's not what I believe, but what Bruce/Batman did. He felt that Lucious would believe him because of the long history between the two, and felt that the best way to approach him about it was to talk to him in person as Bruce.

 

[JTurner954]

I felt that visit hurt him , and it did by his arrest on the spot( I don't remember that much about Part 2 so if it does pay off I will take back my comment).

 

[Mattashell]

I saw this one back in the day, and it was one of the best. ***** five stars!

 

[Caped Crusader]

Originally posted by JTurner954
I'm giving it four stars. There was one little thing that confused me: Why would Bruce sneak through the window to see Luscious? That just seemed out of character for Bruce Wayne (not Batman, Bruce). Another villain origin episode done well,nevertheless.

I agree, it did seem out of character for Bruce to sneak through the window. And what's worse is that he did it in broad daylight! Doesn't he think someone could see him coming down the building with his rope?


This episode was all right. I thought it would have been better if they delved a little deeper into Hagen's past. They never even said how his face became disfigured in the first place.

 

[Simpler Simon]

This episode was excellent, but it can be confusing to first-time viewers. They didn't delve into Hagan's history until part 2, but it DID have the excellent interogation scene w/the batwing. This and the Germs scene in the hospital are two of the greatest moments in BTAS, and they both happened in Feat of Clay!

 

[Caped Crusader]

They didn't delve into his history until the second part? It's been such a long time since I've seen it that I must have forgotten.

 

[The Penguin]

*****

"My career, my life, it is gone. And I can never get it back! I'm not an actor anymore. I'm not even... a man." - Clayface, Feat of Clay, Part 2

I can see why many people consider this to be the better of the two parts. From the first minute I'm more hooked in Clayface's story than I was in the first part. There's more of a sense of tragedy due to Hagen's altered condition and his remembering of the days after his accident and Daggett's visit.

I really enjoyed Batman interrogating that goon that was so concerned with germs, and then to see it was just a jar of seawater.

I thought it was cool how Hagen ended up being Clayface's un-doing. A clever move by Bats. The ending was just errie with the glowing yellow eyes of Clayface showing through that woman as Teddy said good-bye.