The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Illustration by Joseph Mugnaini, 1972
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*Konan walks into the living room the night before Halloween*
Konan: … what the hell?!
*Deidara, Tobi, Itachi and Hidan are surrounding what looks to be a real human skeleton hanging from the ceiling by two thin ropes*
Hidan: Oh, hey, gorgeous! Just settin’ up the Halloween tree!
Konan: That WHAT?
Deidara: The Halloween tree, hm! Sasori gave us this from his lab!
Tobi: We’ve got black and orange tinsel to wrap around it, and orange string-lights!
Itachi: We’ve been good all year, so now the Halloween Man will leave us presents tonight. *sets a plate of pumpkin-shaped cookies and a glass of milk on the table*
Konan: This is insanity. There’s no such thing as a “Halloween Man”! And even if there was, what do you mean you’ve been good all year?! You’ve all been horrible!
Hidan: The Halloween Man don’t count all the goody-goody shit as bein’ “good”. It’s the other stuff. The stealing and the sacrifices and shit like that. Ain’t nobody been more badass than us four this year!
Tobi: Tobi asked for a bike!
Deidara: I asked for the super expensive clay, hm!
Konan: But … but asking for presents is what you’re supposed to do with Santa Claus …
Itachi: Two years ago, for Christmas, I asked Santa for prescription sunglasses. He didn’t bring them. Last year I asked the Halloween Man for them and not only did he bring them, but eye drops and a bunch of t-shirts that complimented the glasses.
Hidan: Which fucker sounds more real to you?
Konan:
Konan: *picks up a thing of tinsel* I could use a new dress and some makeup …
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Yes, a boy can be a witch
So I'm reacquainting myself with the 1972 novel The Halloween Tree by the late Ray Bradbury. I had the animated movie practically memorized since the 90s and I guess memories of the animated movie were overriding the memory of the book.
I had nearly forgotten the witch was a little boy in the novel (all the children were boys in the novel). I remember that was jarring to me as a child since in the animated version the witch was a little girl named Jenny.
It's funny to me that a well-loved novel from 1972 didn't act like it was something controversial that a boy dressed as a witch for Halloween and called himself a witch instead of Warlock (which in occult circles is actually offensive as it actually means Oath breaker) or wizard and yet the 1993 film swapped him out for Jenny.
I understand that the 90s version wanted to add a girl and the witch was a convenient and easy option. But I do think it's funny that boys calling themselves witch was actually more accepted in the US decades ago than today where some people still get frazzled and act like the titles must follow J. K. Rowling's gendered rules.
People forget that the old English word for Witch was Wicc. Wicca for masculine, Wicce for Feminine. And the cc made a "ch" sound. When the word evolved into Witch (At least in the English language) the vowel sound at the end was removed to de-gender specify it. Witch was meant to be the gender neutral version of the previously gendered witch-ah, or Witch-uh (how the Wicca and Wicce were pronounced).
In Donald Duck's Trick or Treat from 1952 one of his nephews dressed as a witch for Halloween. Again, no one seemed bothered and they didn't change the word to something "More masculine." What am I driving at? Well, the late great Ray Bradbury agrees that boys should be able to classify themselves as witches. And he out ranks the whiners. So there. :-P
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31 Doodles Of Halloween Year 10 | Day 1 | The Halloween Tree
So we start the final year of my 31 Doodles with a redraw (more of a re-imagining) of the first picture I ever made for it, based on a Halloween movie that's 30 years old this year (yeah just like Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas). I first saw this movie playing at daycare back when I was in kindergarten, so about 2001. It's actually one of the reasons I like Halloween so much.
Original here:
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Bird commissioned me to draw this poster:
but with Drifter, Eido, and Eva. it was an absolute blast. i’m sorry i didn’t finish it in time for halloween :( but i had lots of fun <3 thank you Bird
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