Hocus and Pocus

Revision as of 22:07, 13 January 2006

The professional names employed by a pair of likeable, ingenuous, gullible fellows, their real names are Doc and Flannelhead, who start out as street corner salesmen of magic books, only to have their lives transformed when a series of bizarre coincidences convinces them that they have somehow become gifted with magical powers. (Act No. 83, Apr 1945: "Hocus and Pocus... Magicians by Accident!")

Doc, better known as Hocus, is the brains of the outfit; he is a wiry little fellow with a moustache, eyeglasses, and an ever-present derby hat “who speaks like a college professor but has the trusting simplicity of a child!” His companion, Flannelhead, better known as Pocus, a brawny, dim-witted fellow who murders the King’s English whenever he speaks, “has the strength of an ox … and about the same I.Q.!” Together with their “mascot,” a white rabbit named Moiton (Act No.88, Sep 1945: “The Adventure of the Stingy Men!”), the pair inhabit a furnished room in Mrs. Flaherty’s Boarding House, somewhere in Metropolis (Act No. 83, Apr 1945: “Hocus & Pocus... Magicians by Accident!”). Superman No. 45/1 refers to them as “that hilarious pair of cuckoo conjurers” (Mar/Apr 1947: “Lois Lane, Superwoman!”), and, because their magical feats work only through either coincidence or the surreptitious intervention of Superman, they are frequently described as “magicians by accident” (Act No. 97, Jun 1946: “The Magician’s Convention!”; and others).

In April 1945, Doc and Flannelhead have been eking out a meager living giving magic demonstrations on street corners and selling books on magic to passersby—become convinced, through a series of freak occurrences and ludicrous coincidences, that Doc has somehow acquired the power to make whatever he wishes come true merely by reciting the wish aloud, accompanied by the phrase “Abracadabra... alacazam . . . hocus-pocus!” Complications arise for the well-meaning prestidigitators, however, when their magical abilities come to the attention of gangster Hijack Dorley, who wants them to use their supposed powers to help his gang loot a safe in a wealthy private home. Out of a sense of adventure more than anything else, Doc agrees to the scheme, confiding privately to Flannelhead that he intends to use his magic powers to return the stolen loot to its rightful owner immediately following the robbery. When Hijack Dorley asks his two new recruits to tell him their names, Doc replies that their real names are Doc and Flannelhead, but they prefer to be known professionally as Hocus and Pocus.

The attempt to rob the safe is thwarted by the timely arrival of Superman, but Hocus and Pocus escape—along with their underworld allies—when the Man of Steel is forced to break off the battle to attend to an emergency under circumstances that make it appear, to both the Dorley gang and the amateur magicians, that it is Doc’s magic that has forced Superman to beat a hasty retreat. When, back at the criminals’ hideout, Doc announces that he and Flannelhead have had enough of crime, Hijack Dorley and his henchmen take them captive so that they can continue to use Doc’s “powers” to stage spectacular crimes.

Hocus and Pocus are ultimately rescued from their dire predicament by Superman, who invades the criminals’ hideout and apprehends the Dorley gang at invisible super-speed, leaving both gangsters and magicians with the wholly erroneous impression that the criminals have been routed by Doc’s magical powers.

“But you don’t understand!” stammers Superman, trying, without success, to explain the unwelcome truth to Hocus and Pocus. “I..I know,” interrupts Doc knowingly. “You’re worried lest we use it Doc’s ability to perform magical feats] for evil purposes. On the contrary, we shall use it to wage war against crime. We are going to open up... a private detective agency!”

“Oh well, who am I to disillusion them?” muses Superman to himself. “I guess from now on I’ll have to keep an eye on them and make the magic of Hocus and Pocus more than just accident!” (Act No. 83:“Hocus & Pocus... Magicians by Accident!”).