CLARENCE HOPKINS

Real Name: Clarence Hopkins

Identity/Class: Human (1950s era)

Occupation: Store-owner (see comments)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: "The Devil", unidentified doctor

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "The Man Who Made a Wish" (in story title)

Base of Operations: His apartment in an unidentified American city

First Appearance: Mystic#7/3 (March, 1952)

Powers/Abilities: Having no paranormal abilities, Hopkins was a financially-distressed businessman who was desperate for money.

After making a pact with a seemingly-Satanic entity, Hopkins suffered from an intense headache, which was later diagnosed to be the symptom of an unspecified fatal illness (possibly an inoperable brain tumor?).

Height: 5' 9" (by approximation)
Weight: 170 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Black (balding)

History:
(Mystic#7/3 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Clarence Hopkins is unrevealed, but at some point he became a businessman and owned a store (see comments)--apparently, he was suffering from financial setbacks.

(Mystic#7/3) - While he sat at the desk in his apartment, staring at a pile of unpaid bills, Hopkins was frustrated--he was tired of being poor, and he idly mentioned aloud that he would be willing to make a pact with the devil if he could be rich and successful. When he suddenly heard a voice behind him, Hopkins turned and saw a chubby, kindly-faced stranger who told Hopkins that he heard the summons and was ready to oblige. Considering his visitor's rather ordinary appearance, Hopkins doubted that the stranger was truly "The Devil," but the stranger explained that people always imagined that he looked much different.

   The stranger reminded Hopkins that he mentioned he wanted to be rich, but Hopkins refused to sell his soul because he didn't want to be "The Devil's" slave; in response, the stranger merely smiled and told him that was another misconception that people had about him, and he assured Hopkins he was just anxious to help anybody who called upon him for assistance.

   "The Devil" gave his word that he would grant Hopkins' wish with no strings attached, so Hopkins took the chance and wished for $10,000; the mysterious stranger promised Hopkins he would get the money, then said au revoir and simply vanished (...with no smoke or smell of sulfur).

   Hopkins was left alone in his apartment, wondering where his promised money was, and he figured that "The Devil" was just a phoney. But feeling sick after the whole experience, Hopkins began to suffer from a terrible headache.

   By the next day, Hopkins' headache had grown worse, so he went to see a doctor. After conducting a series of tests, the doctor took an x-ray of Hopkins' head--Hopkins was worried that it would cost too much, and he couldn't afford expensive headaches.

   After examining the x-ray, the doctor enthusiastically told Hopkins that the medical profession had been searching for a patient with his particular illness to examine so they could find the answer to many medical problems. Hopkins was only concerned about how much it would cost him for the treatment, but the doctor corrected him with some good news--it was actually the medical world that would pay Hopkins the sum of $10,000 to study him!

   Hopkins was elated, for he realized that "The Devil" had kept his promise--his wish had come true, and his financial woes were now over!

   The doctor handed Hopkins a paper--it was an agreement to turn his body over to the medical association after his death; Hopkins eagerly signed it, saying he was unconcerned about what happened to his body after he died.

   But then the doctor told Hopkins the bad news: The same ailment that would earn him $10,000 would also kill him within a month...

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Vernon Henkel (artist).

The only reference to Hopkins' occupation was a remark "The Devil" made to him when he sarcastically referred to getting "one of those devil costumes they sell in your store" (see second image in "The Devil" sub-profile)-- possibly Hopkins owned a costume shop (...and if so, maybe his shop was eventually owned by Melvin Potter (...who would have his own problems with a another (Dare)devil)).

This 3-page story would be reprinted in Crypt of Shadows#8 (January, 1974).

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Clarence Hopkins has no known connections to:

"The Devil" has no known connections to:

The unidentified doctor has no known connections to:

"The Devil"

When businessman Clarence Hopkins sat at his desk and lamented his financial woes, "The Devil" appeared behind him. Having the appearance of a chubby man with a kindly face, "The Devil" explained to Hopkins that people always wrongly imagined what he looked like.

Hopkins refused to sell "The Devil" his soul, but "The Devil" told Hopkins that was just another misconception about him, and that he was only anxious to help.

"The Devil" offered to grant Hopkins a wish with no strings attached, so Hopkins wished for $10,000; "The Devil" assured Hopkins that he would get the money, then said au revoir and vanished. 

Later, Hopkins developed an intense headache, then learned that the medical profession was willing to pay him $10,000 to study his fatal ailment (...more than likely arranged by "The Devil").

--Mystic#7/3

unidentified doctor

After businessman Clarence Hopkins summoned "The Devil" and made a wish for $10,000, he suddenly suffered from an intense headache, so Hopkins went to see the doctor.

The doctor ran a series of tests and took an x-ray of Hopkins' head. After examining the x-ray, the doctor was quite pleased to have run across a case like Hopkins', because the medical profession would gain great knowledge  from studying Hopkins' ailment.

The doctor told Hopkins that the medical world would pay him $10,000 to study his case... but he added that Hopkins would only have a month to enjoy the money, because his illness was fatal.

(Note: Although I have him listed as an enemy, there was no actual animosity between him and Hopkins... but for a doctor, he had a lousy bedside manner.)

--Mystic#7/3

images: (without ads)
Mystic#7/3, p1, pan1 (Main Image - Clarence Hopkins, sitting at his desk)
Mystic#7/3, p2, pan4 (Headshot - Clarence Hopkins wishes for $10,000)
Mystic#7/3, p2, pan5 (after "The Devil" leaves, Clarence Hopkins wonders where his money is and suffers from a headache)
Mystic#7/3, p3, pan6 (Clarence Hopkins learns from doctor that his illness is fatal)
Mystic#7/3, p1, pan1 ("The Devil" appears)
Mystic#7/3, p2, pan1 ("The Devil" mentions Hopkins' store)
Mystic#7/3, p2, pan2 ("The Devil" claims he wants to help Hopkins)
Mystic#7/3, p3, pan1 (unidentified doctor examines x-ray of Hopkins head; Clarence Hopkins (foreground) )
Mystic#7/3, p3, pan2 (unidentified doctor tells Hopkins his illness is worth $10,000; Clarence Hopkins (foreground) )

Appearances:
Mystic#7/3 (March, 1952) - unidentified writer, Vernon Henkel (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 05/26/2020
Last updated: 05/26/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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