Well, well, well. Hello my coco puffs. It’s that beautiful time of year again and I’m not talking about Christmas. As a woman with “Increased Heat Output” syndrome (being hot all the time), I welcome the change in temperature with open arms. The temperature is dropping, the leaves are changing from cool greens to warm reds, oranges, and yellows, and most importantly, Halloween.
I’ve become a Halloween stan only within the last few years. When I was younger, I went trick or treating with my little sister maybe one or twice. Unapologetically though, we went gallivanting through the streets of our college alma mater’s neighborhood in my senior year, hustling for king sized treats. I must honestly say, it was a great bonding experience. Between the rain, pitch blackness in areas, and awkward smiles from parents and their children, I’d say the candy was worth it.
Despite my recent friendship with Halloween, I’ve been in a committed relationship with the Horror genre ever since I could remember. I grew up binge reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and then staying awake the entire night scared poopless. I was the connoisseur of all types of Urban Legends, myths, and creepypastas including but not limited to: Jeff the Killer, Eyeless Jack, and Slenderman. When mom wasn’t paying attention, or Dad was watching TV, I’d indulge in movies like Bones, The Conjuring, and Gothika. Nowadays, with me being an adult and all, youtubers like Dead Meat and FoundFlix help me get my fix.
Besides all that, this blog post is centered around the spooky month and, you guessed it, all things related to the Black experience. Every Wednesday this month, I’ll be focusing on an area where All Hallows Eve intersects with the culture. I’m talking about movies, tv shows, costumes, traditions, ghost stories, the whole SHABANG!
Today, we’re keeping it pretty simple. I’ve created a list of some of my favorite black horror characters. This list is in no particular order. Since I’m not completely sure that I don’t have spoilers, SPOILER ALERT! Without further ado, let’s get spooky !
1. Kat Elliot
Kat Elliot, voiced by Lyric Ross, is the main protagonist in the Netflix stop-motion film Wendell and Wild (2022). After losing her parents at a young age, Kat strikes up a deal with two demon brothers, Wendell and Wild, to bring them to the Land of the Living to bring her dead parents back to life.
Kat having a punk-alt style is what stood out the most for me. She is a testament to the intersectionality of black women and girls that such few others have dared to explore. I also feel that she’s an important representation for black girls. It can expose them early to a different style outside of what many may never see. Not only that, she has powers! Some may claim that her powers are inherently evil because of their origin, which is true in some sense, but not in its entirety. Her powers manifest from the trauma she endured by losing her parents, which can also be relatable.
Wendell and Wild is also an amazing movie as a whole, especially for the mini coco puffs, so I definitely recommend watching it this October if you haven’t already.
2. Jimmy Bones
Jimmy Bones, portrayed by Snoop Dogg, is the respected leader and protector of his neighborhood in the movie Bones (2001). When Jimmy is met with a proposition to bring drugs in to turn a profit in disregard for his community, he refuses. As a result, he is killed in cold blood ,left to rot in his office. 20 years later his spirit returns to exact revenge on those who betrayed him.
Snoop Dogg’s lanky, skinny frame, long silk press, and soft spoken manner is what makes Jimmy Bones one of my top three! The cute little rhyme that comes with Jimmy is also a sweet touch, as it reminds me other classic horror characters like Freddy. I’m also a sucker for blaxploitation films. Best part of the movie and character was watching the muscles, skin tissue, and other organic matter gather back onto the decomposed body of Jimmy! Y’all are going to have the movie for yourselves to see that one.
“This is the story of Jimmy Bones Black as night and hard as stone Gold-plated deuce like the King of Siam Got a switchblade loose and a diamond on his hand They took his life, he never rested in peace Now his vengeance will be unleashed.” (https://www.jaehakim.com/2001/10/bones/)
3. Mr. Simms
Mr. Simms, played by Clarence Williams III, is a mortician at a funeral home in the movie Tales from the Hood (1995). After coming into possession of some drugs, three drug dealers have come to collect, “the sh*t.” But before then, Mr. Simms has a few stories to tell about some of the bodies laid to rest there.
What works for me with Mr. Simms is his awkward, yet creepy behavior. There’s an obvious language barrier, between the three drug dealers’ use of slang and gang jargon, and Mr. Simms’ professional, full pronunciation of his sentences. This is what makes the twist ending so much more memorable.
4. The Rag Dolls
The Rag Dolls, independently named Topsy and Bopsy, can be found in TV series Lovecraft Country‘s (2020) 8th episode, “Jig-A-Boo.” They begin to follow one of the protagonists, Diane Freeman, after one of the police chiefs places a curse on her by wiping his spit on her forehead.
The Rag Dolls are memorable to me because it is only Diane who can see them. We watch her try to escape from them in obvious distress, as bystanders look on in confusion. Being paranormal entities, they’re scarier because you can’t fend them off with anything. And they way they move! It’s so elegant to watch them doing ballerina twirls with large, uncanny smiles on their faces. Besides that, the character design is also something to marvel at, as they’re literally life size rag dolls. We’re not going to get too deep into how that’s scary by itself.
5. Plantation Dolls
The Plantation Dolls are the antagonists from the second story in Tales from the Hood (2001). They were made by a local voodoo witch named Miss. Cobbs to help the souls of massacred slaves find peace on a plantation farm, now owned by a racist man that’s running for Mayor.
These little things have stuck with me ever since the first time I watched the movie. Imagine it. You’re sitting on your couch, watching tv, and something starts biting on your ankle. You look down and it’s one of the dolls. On top of that, they are relatively indestructible. Scariest thing ever. Several times did the protagonist shoot or discard the main doll, but he continued to come back to torment him. Best thing of all, is that everyone attacked by the Dolls were deserving of it.
6. Da Tap Dance Man
Da Tap Dance Man, portrayed by Jeremiah Birkett, is one of the antagonists in the Amazon series, Them (2021) . He’s a manifestation of protagonist Henry Emory’s internal hatred, feelings of not belonging, and guilt for not being able to protect his wife or infant son in his new all white neighborhood and job in Los Angeles.
When watching this season with my family, his, “whatcha’ gon’ do?” haunted me for months afterwards. A simple three word statement that, when even just thinking it to myself, had paranoid. I like Da Tap Dance Man because he shows how dangerous the mind can become in times of continued distress. We, as the viewers, can see him when he interacts with Henry, but Henry is ultimately the one we see commit the actions. Ultimately making him one of those, “silent but deadly” types of antagonist. Another reason is his character design. Though simple, it holds a significant amount of historical significance. He’s dressed as a tap dancer, but his face is made up to resemble a minstrel character. The inclusion of large, white chompers and all black eyes is what converts this character from cute tap dancer to dangerous villain, and one of my top three.
7. Edmund Gaines/ The Scare Demon
Edmond Gaines, played by Luke James, is one of the main protagonists from the second season of the Netflix series, Them called The Scare (2023). The show follows Edmond as he tries to lead a normal life after suffering several years of abuse and neglect in the foster system.
This character is another testament of how scary the mind is. Though his “final form” is scary in terms of design, his background is what made me have more sympathy than fear for him. He was trying to find his way in the world after being tossed aside by so many others for being different. Even worse, his mental illness went unchecked for so long and he got blamed for a lot of things he had no control of. Does it make it right to kill people though? No. But it does give him enough motive for me to understand it.
His overall character design can get kind of goofy looking sometimes, especially with the big reveal. What makes him scary for me is the fact that he’s paranormal. You can’t really defend yourself from him with ordinary means and you never really know when he’s coming, especially if you’re one of his innocent victims. I also like the fact that even though most of his victims are directly related to his past trauma, they do hold significance. For example, his first victim was he old foster mother. Lets not forget the unforgettable contortions that he left his victims in! My Lord!
Edmond is also an example of the generational trauma that exists in the black community. But that’s a topic for another blog post, lol.
8. Madame Laveau
Madame Marie Laveau, portrayed by THEE Angela Bassett, is one of the main antagonists in the TV show American Horror Story in it’s third season, Coven (2014) . She is the former Voodoo queen of Louisiana, having gained immortality by striking a deal with Papa Legba.
I like this character because ANGELA BASSETT duh. Who else could have bodied this role like she did? But also because it showcases magic. And not anytype of magic either, the “scary” magic of Voodoo. Laveau’s character is another representation of a subculture in Black culture that doesn’t get talked about enough or in a different light. Usually when you see anytype of Black folk magic used in a movie, it’s being used in a negative way, which can continue to affirm the negative stereotypes. Especially when it’s black. Oppositely, you see all these movies about non-black witches who have more variety. Once again, that’s a topic for another blog.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Queenie
Queenie is played by Gabourey Sidibe in American Horror Story: Coven.
She’s once again another representation of African American derived magic as a freaking HUMAN VOODOO DOLL! How cool is that?
Portifoy Simms
This Mr. Simms is played by Keith David in Tales in the Hood 2 (2018).
He is one of the only things that makes this movie watchable with his silky smooth voice and black and red suit.
Boys Stevens
Boyd Stevens, played by Harold Perrineau, is the Sheriff and Mayor of the Town in the MGM series From (2022). After getting seemingly trapped in the strange, time warped Town, he and other Town leaders must work together to get everyone back home.
Atticus Freeman
Atticus, played by Johnathan Majors, is the main protagonist from the TV adaptation of Lovecraft Country. After his father goes missing, Atticus and a few of his friends travel out to try and find him.
And let me tell ya’, he looks mighty good in his white tee.
Well coco puffs, this is the end.
Thank you all so much for hanging with me today!
Make sure to come back next week to talk about some popular African American myths, legends, and superstitions!
Want a quick summary of all this information? Visit the Instagram page @thecococorner_!
I’ll catch you next time sugah! And remember, I love you black woman, and man!
Love, Minajhadore <3