The Broomstick as a Symbol of Feminine Power in Witchcraft

The broomstick is a powerful symbol in witchcraft, representing both practicality and spirituality. While it may seem like a mundane object, the broomstick holds great significance in the witchcraft tradition. Historically, broomsticks were used by witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. The sweeping motion of the broom was thought to sweep away negative energies and entities, purifying the space before ritual work. In this way, the broomstick became a tool for protection and banishment. Beyond its practical uses, the broomstick also had a deeper spiritual meaning.

A brand new Sabrina series from the writer behind Hawkeye: Kate Bishop and Jem and the Holograms. Balancing burgeoning magical powers with being the new girl is no easy task—especially when you’re juggling two possible love interests, an insta-rivalry, and a couple of misfits with serious BFF potential. Not to mention saving the world from supernatural doom. But that all in a day’s work for a teen witch like Sabrina.

But now someone is targeting her someone who seems to know her secret and it will take all of her skills as a witch and a detective to keep them from exposing her to the world. So when someone or something starts kidnapping the boys in his family, Aster knows it will take all of his forbidden knowledge of witchcraft to save them and maybe, just maybe, prove his family wrong in the process.

Beyond its practical uses, the broomstick also had a deeper spiritual meaning. In some traditions, the broomstick was believed to aid in astral travel and spirit work. It was thought that by rubbing the broomstick with an ointment or flying potion, witches could use it to soar through the night sky and reach higher realms of consciousness.

19 Witchy Comics for Halloween

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Rachel Brittain

Rachel is a writer from Arkansas, most at home surrounded by forests and animals much like a Disney Princess. She spends most of her time writing stories and playing around in imaginary worlds. You can follow her writing at rachelbrittain.com. Twitter and Instagram: @rachelsbrittain

We’re fully in the midst of the witching season now. And if you’re not already reading some appropriately Halloween-themed reads, it’s high time to start. And if Hocus Pocus taught me anything, it’s that nothing’s spookier or more Halloweeny than witches. And these comics about witches for Halloween are sure to cast a spell on you.

Ahem. I mean, these witchy comics for Halloween are sure to be just the things for a cool autumn night full of tricks or treats.

Spell on Wheels by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, Marissa Louise, Jen Bartel, and Nate Piekos

Stealing from witches? Always a bad idea. And when Claire’s nonmagical ex breaks in to steal an important artifact from the home she shares with two other witches, well, it’s pretty much on. Road tripping down the East Coast to track down the thief forces the friends to confront their pasts and remember what really matters: their sisterhood of witches.

Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll

Most children would think twice about applying for a position as Baba Yaga’s assistant. The fearsome witch of folklore is as canny as they come. But Masha is looking for an adventure, and if it takes doing chores for a witch to make that happen then sign her up. She’s more than happy to cook dinner—as long as she’s not the one on the menu.

The Lunch Witch by Deb Lucke and Jim Salicrup

Grunhilda inherited her magic and her big black cauldron from a long line of witches in her family. But no one believes in magic anymore. Fortunately there’s one job listing that might just do the trick: lunch lady. The foul brews she cooks up are perfect for the job. But when she meets a timid girl in need of help at school and at home, the witch’s icy heart might finally have met its match. Maybe Grunhilda can do more than brew up disgusting potions—even if it goes against everything she thinks it means to be a witch.

Thessaly: Witch for Hire by Bill Willingham and Shawn McManus

Being the world’s oldest and most powerful witch is no easy gig. Especially when a lovesick ghost is trying to win your hand by unleashing destructive forces unlike anything the universe has ever seen. All in a day’s work for an all-powerful witch. But first, she’s going to have to survive long enough to defeat the evil forces and smack some sense into a certain ghost.

Zatanna by Paul Dini

Zatanna Zatara has the best act in Vegas. And her stage magic is no illusion—the Mistress of Magic can create an incredible show with just a few backward words. But in the wrong hands, magic is a deadly powerful force, so when some magic users with bad intentions start causing trouble, Zatanna has to step in to stop them. Nightmare demons are easy enough, but when the one she has to stop is the ghost of someone she loves, things get tricky.

The Complete Sabrina the Teenage Witch: 1962–1971 by Archie Comics

Spend some time with the original teenage witch in this collection of classic Sabrina comics. The black and white panels depict all of Sabrina’s early witchy hijinks alongside the Archie characters.

The Magic Order by Mark Millar and Olivier Coipel

Never come across a monster under your bed. You have the Magic Order to thank for that. But when magicians find themselves being picked off one by one, the Order has to fight against an invisible enemy trying to take them out. By day, they’re neighbors and coworkers and everyday citizens, but by night they’re the sorcerers, magicians, witches, and wizards who keep the world safe from evil.

The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag

The boys in Aster’s family are meant to become shapeshifters while the girls study to be witches. But 13-year-old Aster knows deep in his heart he’s meant to be a witch—even if his family refuses to see it. So when someone—or something—starts kidnapping the boys in his family, Aster knows it will take all of his forbidden knowledge of witchcraft to save them and maybe, just maybe, prove his family wrong in the process.

Black Magick, Vol. 1: Awakening by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott

Rowan Black is a detective with Portsmouth PD. She’s also a witch. She’s always worked hard to keep her magical abilities far away from her police work. But now someone is targeting her—someone who seems to know her secret—and it will take all of her skills as a witch and a detective to keep them from exposing her to the world.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Robert Hack

Can’t get enough of the Netflix show? Check out the comic that inspired it. In this horror reimagining, Sabrina Spellman has to decide between her mortal boyfriend and her unholy destiny as a Spellman witch. But a dark foe from her family’s past has arrived in town just in time to wreak havoc on her already complicated life. Good thing Sabrina has all the powers of the occult on her side.

Power & Magic: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology edited by Joamette Gil

This anthology all about queer witches of color is full of fantasy, witchy drama, humor, and romance. Inside, you can find compelling work from creators behind comics like Curb Stomp, Misfit City, Bitch Planet, and the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

This adorable webcomic turned graphic novel is all about witches, werewolves, family, friendship, and first love. Nova has learned a lot working in her grandmothers’ bookshop—not only about books and customer service, but magic too. None of that knowledge prepares her for Tam Lang to show back up in her life one night. The childhood friends find themselves reunited in a quest to stop a dangerous force intent on claiming the power of wolves like Tam. But with Nova and her grandmothers there to help, Tam realizes they’re not as alone as they think.

Toil and Trouble by Mairghread Scott, Kelly Matthews, and Nichole Matthews

The witches of The Scottish Play come to life in this retelling of Macbeth from their point of view. The three fates, the weird sisters, the witches. Whatever you want to call them, Riata, Cait, and Smertae, have always been guiding and protecting Scotland. A disagreement over a prophecy foretelling the next king leads to disaster and Smertae outcast to the oceans. But when she returns on the eve of war, the magical conflict continues as the witches use humans as pawns in their supernatural game, with Smertae guiding Macbeth to a crown he was never meant to have.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch by Kelly Thompson and Veronica Fish

A brand new Sabrina series from the writer behind Hawkeye: Kate Bishop and Jem and the Holograms. Balancing burgeoning magical powers with being the new girl is no easy task—especially when you’re juggling two possible love interests, an insta-rivalry, and a couple of misfits with serious BFF potential. Not to mention saving the world from supernatural doom. But that all in a day’s work for a teen witch like Sabrina.

Little Witch Academia by Yoh Yoshinari and Keisuke Sato

Akko Kagari has always wanted to become a witch just like her childhood hero, and the best place to do that is Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy. When she’s accepted into the school, Akko feels like all her dreams are coming true. But as the only student from a nonmagical family, Akko has a lot of catching up to do if she wants to become a real witch.

Hex Wives by Ben Blacker and Mirka Andolfo

A coven of reincarnating witches and a group of misogynists known as the Architects have been waging a secret war over the fate of the world for centuries. But when the men, who fear the witches’ power, curse them into life as suburban housewives with no memories of their true identities or powers, the real struggle is on. Isadora may think she’s a happy homeowner at the end of a sunny cul-de-sac, but it’s only a matter of time before the memories start leaking through.

Blackwood by Evan Dorkin, Veronica Fish, and Andy Fish

Blackwood College is no normal school. Instead of science or humanities, it trains its students in the occult. And a new group of incoming teens with troubling pasts are forced together in Blackwood’s haunted halls to fight mutant insects, ghosts, a two-headed mummy chimp, and, of course, ancient evil. Their crash course in the occult starts now.

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Moth loves all things witchy. Turns out, there’s a reason for that: she’s a real-life witch! The only problem is her mom has no interest in teaching her how to control her powers or why she’s against any and all magic. But when Moth uncovers an old diary detailing her mother’s ancient history (literally—she’s hundreds of years old) in a coven run out of Founder’s Bluff. Only that ancient history might not be so ancient anymore. Especially when a school play about Founder’s Bluff’s witch hunts has Moth determined to present witches as they really were—and are.

Spellchecked by Quinton Miles and Mauricio Campetella

The Davenports are a family of magical mages. Dawn and her little brother Dwayne Jr. are working hard to protect their hometown alongside Allied PD. Their dad Dwayne is one of the most powerful mages in the world, not that he’s around enough for Dawn and her brother to notice. But in their own ways, they’re each trying to find their place in the family legacy.

Let’s also not forget the gorgeous and highly detailed panels from author/illustrator Sweeney Boo.

This association with flight and transport made the broomstick a symbol of freedom and transcendence. In addition to its magical properties, the broomstick also held a social significance. During the witch trials of the medieval and early modern periods, the broomstick became a powerful symbol of accusation and persecution. Witches were often depicted flying on broomsticks in artwork and literature, solidifying the association between the broom and witchcraft. This association led to the persecution and execution of countless innocent individuals. Today, the broomstick continues to be an important symbol within contemporary witchcraft. Many modern witches still use broomsticks in rituals to cleanse and protect their spaces. The broomstick represents the ability to sweep away negativity and create a sacred space for magical work. It is a reminder of the power of transformation and the connection to the spiritual realm. In conclusion, the broomstick holds great significance in witchcraft symbolism. It represents both practicality and spirituality, serving as a tool for protection and banishment, as well as a symbol of freedom and transcendence. Despite its historical association with persecution, the broomstick remains an important and powerful symbol within contemporary witchcraft practice..

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Witches and Their Brooms: Examining the Relationship between Witchcraft and Broomstick Symbolism