Witch Themed Cartoon Series Witches have long been a fascinating subject in literature and popular culture. From fairy tales to movies, these captivating characters have enthralled audiences of all ages. One medium through which witches have gained popularity is through cartoon series. These animated shows have allowed creators to capture the magical essence of witches and tell captivating stories filled with spells, potions, and broomsticks. One popular witch-themed cartoon series is "Sabrina: The Animated Series". Based on the successful live-action show, this animated adaptation follows the teenage witch Sabrina Spellman and her adventures in the magical town of Greendale.
The witch-cult was an objective example of that element of reaction against mediaeval piety which appears in certain leering gargoyles & in various sinister undertones in literary & other art. As for its origin—I am wholly against Summers & with Miss Murray. Summers has let his serious acceptance of Christianity bias him. He is blind to dozens of points of resemblance betwixt witch-cult practices (especially festival dates) & primitive-reliques of Nature-worship all over Europe, & makes a very weak argument in his earlier witchcraft book which Koenig lent me.
—H. P. Lovecraft to Clark Ashton Smith, 29 Nov 1933, Dawnward Spire, Lonely Hill 484 The theories of Miss Murray regarding the source of the cult have been attacked from different angles by scholars as antipodal as Joseph McCabe & the Rev. Montague Summers, but I still think they are as plausible as any yet advanced. You will, I think, appreciate “The White People” anew upon giving it a post-Murray re-reading.
—H. P. Lovecraft to Fritz Leiber, 19 Dec 1936, Letters to C. L. Moore and Others 302
There is no reference in Lovecraft s published letters to Murray s sequel, The God of the Witches 1931 ; he apparently never read it, and perhaps never heard of it. My work focuses on the weird and occult; medieval alien abductions, strange illuminated conspiracies, and Lovecraftian horrors from beyond space and time all manifested in hand carved and inked blockprints that I hand press to wood around the corner from where Giles Corey check your high school copy of The Crucible met his end under a pile of stones.
Based on the successful live-action show, this animated adaptation follows the teenage witch Sabrina Spellman and her adventures in the magical town of Greendale. With her quick wit and magical abilities, Sabrina, along with her loyal talking cat Salem, learns important life lessons while also battling various supernatural threats. The series combines humor, friendship, and magic, making it a favorite among both children and adults.
From Lovecraft to Witchcraft: Check Out Salem’s “Corey Press Studio”
What do H.P Lovecraft, witches, aliens, and ghosts all have in common (besides being awesome and often showing up all at once)? They all converge in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is like a portal that leads straight to strange and mysterious happenings, and they all find a welcome home in librarian & artist Drew Meger’s ‘Corey Press’ studio.
Named for the Giles Corey put to death for supposed witchcraft in 1692, Meger’s Corey Press Studio resurrects medieval imagery, combines it with his own style, and turns it into inked and “hand carved madness” on wooden blocks, yielding stunning results. His art explores everything from Lovecraft to witchcraft to all other things that might lurk in the cracks of reality and darks in between spaces that we don’t dare enter, save in our nightmares.
We talked to Meger about the ghostly meaning behind his studio’s name – The Corey Press, the process of creating one of his masterpieces, and he shares a ghost story of his own. Check it out!
Mothman planchettes (via Instagram).
First things first; tell us a little bit about yourself and your work! Did you grow up in Salem?
My name is Drew Meger and I’m a dual classed librarian/artist operating in Salem, MA. My work focuses on the weird and occult; medieval alien abductions, strange illuminated conspiracies, and Lovecraftian horrors from beyond space and time – all manifested in hand carved and inked blockprints that I hand press to wood around the corner from where Giles Corey (check your high school copy of The Crucible) met his end under a pile of stones. That’s where my shop name comes from. It was either this or open a panini sandwich shop.
I’m not originally from Salem. I grew up in Maryland in a town called Crofton (best known for the snakehead fish and Edward Snowden), but this city drew me in. Where else can you live and expect to walk by witches, vampires, and even a Frankenstein’s Monster or two all on the way to the drug store?
“Opener of the Way” original woodcut (via Instagram. Design is also available in his Artist Shop!)
I’ve gotta ask…have you ever seen the ghost of Giles Corey?
Me? No. But when my son was four he came into our bedroom one night and woke us up. He said the ghost in his room wanted to tell him a secret, but he didn’t want to listen. The ghost’s mouth was full of bugs, and if he listened one of the bugs would get into his ear and he’d become a ghost too. Our house is over 150 years old, so my wife and I were like, “Seems legit!” and turned on every light in the house. For the rest of the week.
Mothman ouija board (via Instagram).
Your art is beyond awesome – how did you develop your style? You capture that era’s art style so well!
Thanks! I’m pretty much self taught. I try to learn new things through observation and when I became interested in doing woodcut styled pieces, I looked to the old texts as my starting point. There is a certain rough-and-ready feel to the woodcuts used by early printers for books or broadsides that I really enjoy.
Usually for me the process starts when I discover some woodcut and think to myself, “Man, that could use some aliens.”
How do you create one of these pieces from start to finish?
I try to work images from actual medieval woodcuts into my work when I can, so usually for me the process starts when I discover some woodcut and think to myself, “Man, that could use some aliens.” From there, it’s a lot of sketching to reach a final design, followed by drawing the whole thing all over again on transfer paper so I can prepare the block. I used to use wood or linoleum to print, but moved on to this pink stuff that feels like a dense pencil eraser. Because I print to eight inch thick sheets of wood, I need a semi-flexible surface to press – otherwise things get smudgy pretty quickly. Carving the block comes next, followed by proofs and corrections. The whole process takes maybe 10 to 20 hours per piece.
Pokemon-inspired works sitting on the drying rack (via Instagram).
It’s kind of ironic that the process you use to make your art is kind of witch trial-ish.
Hah, yeah. I take an image and work it over with sharp implements and then press it under weight until it gives up the goods – sometimes fire even gets involved! It’s Photoshop by way of the Witchfinder General.
Just a few of the designs and products in the Corey Press Artist Shop! Top row: “The Traveller” on a notebook, “Cthulhu Icon – Green” on a triblend women’s tee, and “Opener of the Way” on a framed art print | Bottom row: “Volo Volare – I Want to Fly” on a tote bag, “Esoteric Order of Dagon (Faded Yellow)” on a tapestry, and “The Regent” on a men’s pullover hoody.
Tell me a little bit about your Artist Shop!
One of the neat things about my Artist Shop is that it gives me a little leeway to play with my designs in a way I don’t normally get to do. Usually, I’m all about black ink on wood, but with my Artist Shop I can experiment with color and give my designs a little flash. I’ve split my shop into three main collections – UFOs/Aliens, Lovecraft, and the Secret Chiefs.
The original version of “The Initiate” as a printed woodblock (via Instagram).
What’s the story behind a few of the designs in your shop?
So the Lovecraft and UFO stuff is pretty straightforward, but the Secret Chiefs require a bit of an explanation. If you go back to traditional Western Occultism (the magick-with-a-“k” stuff), you’ll no doubt run into the Chiefs at some point. They are the Secret Masters that control the world, intelligent magical forces that guide civilizations from behind the scenes. They are avatars of concepts and by acknowledging them, you can curry their favor. So of course, I need to make up my own! Thus we have The Regent; a flaming skull at the center of an illuminated pyramid, fed by the whispers of scholars. The Traveller; a being not from our world whose saucer is a magickal circle. The Initiate and her unseeing wisdom, a beating heart in her hand. There are more out there; the Summoner and the Mendicant, the Wandering Prince and the Lady of the Black Flame…
“Cthulhu Icon – Black Ink” on a bathmat, which is oddly fitting! (Photo via Instagram.)
What inspires and feeds into your designs the most?
In addition to the obvious Lovecraft and associated books of forgotten lore, I’m a big fan of fringe literature – UFOs, cryptids, time slips, ancient aliens, all that. Authors like John Keel, Bud Hopkins, Charles Fort, and anyone else who writes down all the weird stuff that happens around us all the time. I won’t say I’m a complete believer, but I want to believe, you know?
Son and father drawings of what they think went down at the sacrificial table of America’s Stonehenge (via Instagram).
What do you love the most about Salem? What are some of your favorite Salem stories?
Even though I tend to eschew your standard pointy hatted witches, I take my lead from Salem. This city has a way of pulling the weird and wild from all over, making them its own. You walk down the street here and you pass people who make a living dressing as Nosferatu, three different ghost tours, witch shops, palm readers, and two Harry Potter stores. Even though Salem has plenty of history of its own, it’s never satisfied and hungers for more.
One weirdo drawn to Salem was Howard Phillips Lovecraft. He held Salem in high esteem, basing his fictional city of Arkham on it. Lovecraft visited Salem by bus every year or so to play tourist and wrote extensively about these visits in his letters. He explored our streets and wrote about colonial homes turning into bottomless maws, ghost ships floating into the harbor, and misshapen children locked in the attics of Puritan families…and then he’d run into a cat and the rest of the letter would be about him trying to feed it ice cream. The only things Lovecraft loved as much as cosmic horrors from beyond space and time were cats and ice cream.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m fully aware that my stuff is a niche of a niche. I’ll never be mainstream and I’m okay with that. Still, that moment when someone who ‘Gets It’ sees one of my pieces for the first time? That’s why I do this (well, that and the ghost from my son’s room makes me).
Thank you for the opportunity to share!
Another noteworthy witch-themed cartoon series is "W.I.T.C.H". Originally an Italian comic book series, it was later adapted into an animated show. The series focuses on five teenage girls who discover the existence of an alternate dimension called "Metamoor". Each girl possesses special elemental powers, making them the chosen protectors of Metamoor. The show explores themes of friendship, teamwork, and self-discovery as the girls embrace their roles as guardians and face various magical challenges. One of the most iconic witch-themed cartoon series is "The Powerpuff Girls". While not solely focused on witches, the show prominently features Mojo Jojo, a super-intelligent chimpanzee who often utilizes magic and potions to carry out his evil plans. The Powerpuff Girls, a trio of kindergarten superheroes, frequently clash with Mojo Jojo as they protect the city of Townsville. The show blends action, humor, and fantasy elements, captivating audiences with its unique animation style and charming characters. In conclusion, witch-themed cartoon series have captivated audiences with their enchanting stories and magical elements. Whether it's following the adventures of a teenage witch or witnessing a battle between superheroes and a mischievous chimp with magic powers, these cartoons offer a fantastical escape for viewers of all ages. Through humor, friendship, and valuable life lessons, these shows continue to entertain and inspire audiences with their witchy charm..
Reviews for "Spellbinding Stories: Top Witch themed Cartoons with Captivating Plots"
1. Name: Sarah
Rating: 1/5
Review: I found the witch themed cartoon series to be quite dull and uninteresting. The storyline lacked depth and the characters were one-dimensional. The animation was also subpar, making it hard to visually engage with the show. Overall, I was disappointed and would not recommend this series to anyone looking for an entertaining witch-themed show.
2. Name: Mike
Rating: 2/5
Review: While I appreciate the effort put into creating a witch themed cartoon series, I found it to be too cliché and predictable. The plot twists were easily foreseeable, and the characters were stereotypical and lacked originality. Additionally, the humor fell flat, failing to evoke any genuine laughs. Overall, the series felt like a rehash of previously seen witch-themed shows, and I was left unimpressed.
3. Name: Emily
Rating: 2/5
Review: I had high hopes for the witch themed cartoon series, but it failed to meet my expectations. The dialogue was overly cheesy and the voice acting felt forced, making it difficult to connect with the characters. The animation style was also jarring and inconsistent, which detracted from the overall viewing experience. While the concept had potential, the execution fell short, leaving me underwhelmed and disinterested in continuing to watch.
4. Name: David
Rating: 1/5
Review: The witch themed cartoon series seemed like a promising watch, but I was sorely disappointed. The storytelling was convoluted and hard to follow, leaving me confused and uninvested in the plot and the fate of the characters. The pacing was off as well, with some episodes dragging on while others felt rushed. The series lacked the coherence and depth necessary to capture my attention, and I would not recommend it to others seeking a captivating witch-themed experience.