"Honestly, it's lazy. Especially when it's not that hard if you give it even half a try. Basil didn't even have powers until he messed himself up using dna samples from the other three... not counting kidlets there, mind you. Matt Hagen and Sondra Fuller were the 'classic' mud-person-that-shapeshifts that I'm betting most think of when 'Clayface' gets mentioned. And poor ol' Preston Payne didn't even really fit the theme... unless you count that his abilities gave him a melty face along with the ability to melt anything and anyone he touched. About as much fun as the Midas Touch and without the cash payoff. He had to be in a suit to keep from becoming a puddle, and had no control over his powers and chronic migrane headaches unless he'd just melted someone to death... seemed to stabilize 'em for a bit. Which makes it even more of a surprise he managed to get Sondra knocked up!"

"Matt was dead by the time Basil decided to 'upgrade' from large ham to mudball monster, so there isn't even any overlap there."