| “ | The Sandman is still more powerful than any of you creeps!
— Sandman
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” |
William Baker was born in Queens, New York. At three years old his father abandoned him and his mother. In these early years she took her son to Coney Island beach. He lost himself happily in sand sculptures, a craft he would use in secondary school under the encouragement of his teacher (and first crush), Miss Flint.
Vic incurs a large debt to a mob. In desperation, he begs Flint to fix a football game he bet on to pay off his debt. Flint does, but finds himself kicked off the team after the coach discovers his involvement in this corruption. The coach vituperates the young, tenderfoot trickster by saying that he will accomplish nothing of importance in his life. Flint soon roughs up his ex-coach, resulting in his expulsion from school and segue into a life of crime.
His illegal activity increases in depth and scope, turning him into a violent, bitter man. Eventually he ends up in prison on Ryker's Island where he meets his father, Floyd Baker. He is friendly to his father but does not tell him who he is. He tells Floyd his nickname, Flint, and a false surname, Marko, inspired by his former coach’s taunts about not "making a mark" on the world. He would use the alias Flint Marko from that point on. His father's presence ameliorates him. After Floyd is released from prison, Marko escapes.
Immediately, William flees to a nuclear testing site on a beach near Savannah, Georgia where he comes into contact with sand that had been irradiated by an experimental reactor. His body and the radioactive sand bond, which changes Marko's molecular structure into sand. Impressed, he names himself the Sandman after his new powers.
Battle vs. Clayface (by Cuchulain Setanata)[]
Deep in Gotham City, the super-criminal Sandman bursts into the Monarch movie theatre, planning on robbing the joint. He frightens off the patrons, and soon breaks open the safe where the theatre's money is stored. Before he can leave, however, he hears something in the ceiling. Before Sandman knows what is happening, Clayface breaks through, having planned to destroy the theatre that shows his old films.
The two supervillains size each other up, before Clayface takes a swing at Sandman. Sandman avoids the attack by dispersing into a sandstorm, then rushes Clayface, reforming and knocking the former actor through a wall into the back alley. Sandman goes in for another hit, but Clayface counters with a strike of his own. The men duel, shifting their bodies into a variety of weapons, each countering the other's attacks.
Finally, Sandman seems to gain an advantage, using a sand-mace to smash in Clayface's head. Clayface staggers, and Sandman grins, thinking he has one. Suddenly, however, he hears Clayface laughing as his head reforms over Sandman's hand. Without warning, Clayface thrusts one of his arms into Sandman's form. As Clayface withdraws, Sandman begins to scream in agony before falling apart into protoplasm. Clayface turns and sees the Batsignal in the sky. He thrusts his fist in the air, shouting "You're next, Batman!"
Winner: Clayface
Expert's Opinion[]
While both were very similar, Clayface is gigantic, can melt others down to protoplasm and every one of his cells work together better than Sandman's. When Sandman attacks Clayface, he will get stuck in him and Clayface will start melting him.