hocus pocus

Happy Black Cat Day, Geekly Gang! That’s right. Today is Black Cat Day. I didn’t know a day like this exists. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re celebrating Black Cat Day by listing five famous (and popular) black cats in media. Oh, it’s about to get spooky up in here.

5) Pluto (“The Black Cat”)

We’ll start this list with the titular feline in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat.” Often read as the companion piece to “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat’s” point of view character gets spooked by Pluto, walling him beside his deceased wife. Poe may have had some unresolved issues.

Originally published in 1845, “The Black Cat,” like many of Poe’s works, has stood the test of time. Loose adaptations have cropped up over time. More recently, the Black Cat returned in Netflix’s Fall of the House of Usher, and Wednesday (another Netflix offering) makes more than one reference to this short story. Not bad for a black cat with only one eye.

4) Salem Saberhagen (Sabrina: The Teenage Witch)

Many 90s kids know Salem Saberhagen from Sabrina: The Teenage Witch. Salem is a 500-year-old witch serving a 100-year sentence for attempting to take over the world. Salem’s old self gives off mad supervillain vibes. Getting transformed into a powerless American shorthair robbed him of a modicum of his sassiness.

Salem serves as a mentor for Sabrina as she navigates her life as a teenage witch. Sympathetic and often self-serving, fans of Sabrina: The Teenage Witch know that Salem’s the real star. Yas, Queen!

3) Luna (Sailor Moon)

Luna (from Sailor Moon) stands out from many of the other black cats on this list. The crescent moon on her forehead makes her visually stand out, but her serious nature runs counter to many other black cats in anime, who are usually sarcastic or silly or both. Luna assembles the Sailor Senshi on Earth. She’s Usagi’s mentor, and her serious nature plays well against Usagi’s childish nature. Someone needs to be the grown-up. Who cares if the grown-up is a cat?

2) Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)

Thackery Binx was a 17th-century boy who was transformed into an immortal cat by the evil (but fabulous) Sanderson sisters. Binx spends eternity guarding the witches’ house, ensuring no one lights the black flame candle. Fast-forward to modern-day when Binx befriends Max, Dani, and Allison. The three kids light the candle. This alerts the sisters, so Binx does what he can to help his friends defeat the witches. In the end, Binx’s soul leaves the cat’s body and reunites with his sister. This is such a great moment. Can someone pass the tissues?

1) Jiji (Kiki’s Delivery Service)

This cat’s story isn’t as bittersweet as Binx’s. I promise. I love the scene where Jiji finds a black cat mug, points to it, and says, “Hey, Kiki, it’s me!” Jiji is by far the cutest black cat on this list. Add the fact that he’s voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman, and you have a character who can’t be beat. Kiki’s Delivery Service is a fantastic Studio Ghibli film. The Jiji character highlights what makes Phil Hartman great as a voice actor. Jiji stole the show with his sarcastic wit and endearing nature, quickly becoming one of the film’s most beloved characters.

At the end of the film, Jiji stops talking, which remains a mystery for fans. According to Hayao Miyazaki, the film’s director, the young witch and her pet lose their ability to communicate because Kiki grows up and doesn’t need her “other self” to rely on anymore. Okay. This story is bittersweet. I did it again. I’m not crying. You’re crying.

That’s our list of famous black cats in media. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Today’s post is a little different than our previous Wednesday posts. Geekly Tunes is our sound track from the previous month. Skye buys at least one vinyl every month, so this one might be right up her alley. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Let’s kick off Geekly Tunes by having the Geekly Gang share the music they’ve listened to in the previous month. Feel free to share your tunes, too. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Tunes

Early March 2025 was dominated by Focus’s “Hocus Pocus,” specifically the live Midnight Special version of the single. Focus is a prog rock band from the Netherlands. Their hit single “Hocus Pocus” originally ran for over seven minutes. After The Midnight Special asked them to play a different song, they insisted on performing their hit. They played it faster, and it worked. “Hocus Pocus” is a prog rock gem that includes yodeling. What’s not to love?

I listened to “Hocus Pocus” on repeat while I worked. Its up-tempo beat kept me focused (hey, like the band name) and revved up to get work done. Since the song uses yodeling, “Hocus Pocus” had few discernable lyrics to color my words if I was working on a Geekly project or a rulebook for one of my six board game prototypes. Six games? What was I thinking?

Okay. There was a period when I was listening to Miley Cyrus this past month. It started by listening to Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane,” and then I was suggested Cowboy Junkies’ cover of the song. I love both versions of “Sweet Jane,” and then Miley Cyrus’s Backyard Session of “Sweet Jane” popped on my suggested song list. I listened to it, and they did a great job on “Sweet Jane.” Miley’s version follows the Cowboy Junkies’ cover. I gave Miley’s “Sweet Jane” a like, and then I was suggested their entire Backyard Session playlist. Most of Miley’s Backyard Session performances are candid, stripped down from their studio sheen, and a joy to listen.

The picture above is of Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande’s cover of “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (by Crowded House). Nine years ago, they performed the song as part of a Happy Hippie tribute. Happy Hippie is a nonprofit organization that helps youths (specifically LGBT and BIPOC youths). Typically, I don’t care for Ariana Grande’s music, but these two’s cover is sweet and silly as evidenced by the onesie pajamas they wear. Not going to lie, I may need to add these onesies to the ones that already hang in a closet.

Finally, I went on a Moby Play kick. Like “Hocus Pocus” above, Moby’s music allows me to work with minimal lyrics. The soundscapes in Play soothe my frazzled head. “Find My Baby,” “Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?,” and “Porcelain” are standout tracks, but Play is one of those few albums I don’t bother to skip a single song. Despite the controversy, I adore “My Weakness.” A quick history and full disclosure: Moby had heard “Nyinewaco” from a film and sampled it in “My Weakness.” “Nyinewaco” is a Tiga Island song about the island’s founding and drinking water. “My Weakness” loops “Nyinewaco” as stringed instruments swell. It’s a haunting track. I always thought of the music as returning home. A Tiga Island creation myth song makes sense.

That’s enough out of me. I listened to far more this past month, but I want to hand the floor over to Season and Skye. Thank you for reading.

Season’s Tunes

Keeping with my personal tradition that began with our local rock station, I listened to 311 on 3/11 at 3:11pm. I revisited the songs “Transistor” and “Beautiful Disaster” since I hadn’t heard them in years. Normally, I listen to “Amber,” which I did, of course. I enjoyed listening to these songs while I played my daily missions in video games. They’re interesting and I recommend them.

Two side notes. 311 is also originally from Omaha, NE. Also, I had no idea Transistor was released in Japan. The picture I chose is the Japanese cover for their CD release in 1997.

Moving seventeen years in the future, I jammed out to G.R.L.’s “Ugly Heart,” released in 2014. “Ugly Heart” showed up in my feed while I was scrolling through YouTube Music. You’d think I’d have heard it before because it was released while I was in high school and was very popular at the time. For some reason, I hadn’t. “Ugly Heart” was one of G.R.L.’s big hits, and people thought they’d keep it pushing after “Ugly Heart.”

Warning for those sensitive about death/depression. Three months after “Ugly Heart” released, the singer in the middle of the image, Simone Battle, succumbed to depression and took her own life. The group dedicated a single, “Lighthouse,” to her, and never made a full comeback after her passing.

Last July, Denzel Curry released King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2, and I’ve been listening to it off and on ever since. I don’t listen to much rap, but I love the way he incorporates soft sounds into his music. His voice is oddly soothing, and I enjoy listening to him on repeat. When Melt My Eyez See Your Future dropped back in 2022, I paid attention to the lyrics and listened to that one on repeat. I still listen to Melt My Eyez See Your Future on repeat.

The picture I posted with this one is from the repackage album cover and the picture Spotify uses, but it’s not the original album cover. Denzel looks a lot calmer in this picture.

Skye, what have you been listening to this past month?

Skye’s Tunes

Guess what? I have my own vinyl record collection. Even though I enjoy visual artistic mediums such as film, my first love is music. Some of my favorite childhood memories involve sitting in a car and listening to homemade CDs with my family. Good times!

My vinyl record includes 66 albums. Let me tell y’all about the ones I’ve been listening to lately.

Costello Music by The Fratellis is a childhood favorite. It was a no-brainer for my collection. The upbeat and hypnotizing melodies stick in my head years later. Even to this day, I can’t say there’s a single track on this album I dislike. Each of them is infectious, and recently, I’ve been listening to it on repeat for a couple weeks.

Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits is a new addition to my collection. This album helps me find my center. Folksy music like Simon and Garfunkel mentally transports me to a peaceful place that few other albums can. The classic melodies are so calming, lovely, and hummable. I’ve wanted to pick up a Simon and Garfunkel album for a while, and I’m glad I finally got around to it.

Kendrick Lamar’s Damn. is another newcomer to my record case. Damn. reminds me why music is important; there are several rap albums in my collection that do that. Not only does Damn. contain bops that make you want to get up and move, it also has messages that modern music has lost. When you listen to the lyrics, it’s clear what smart writing and clever wordplay went into making something the U.S. desperately needs to hear.

I loved Nina Simone’s Feeling Good: Her Greatest Hits to death the moment I got it. While I wasn’t familiar with the artist, this record soon became one of my favorite albums in my collection. Feeling Good was the first vinyl record I received, but it never fails to get me jamming. Such soul, passion, and artistry in Simone’s voice keep me coming back, and her music remains relevant.

Tag: hocus pocus

Famous Black Cats in Media