Sea Hag
Encyclopedia
The Sea Hag is a fictional character owned by King Features Syndicate
. She is a tall, masculine looking witch
featured in comics/cartoons as a nemesis to the character Popeye
. The Sea Hag was created by Elzie Crisler Segar
in 1929 as part of the Thimble Theater comic strip.
who sails the Seven Seas in her boat "The Black Barnacle". She is able to practice Voodoo
magic and powerful enough to capture the equally magical Eugene the Jeep
and on one occasion Santa Claus
. She can even alter her appearance to that of her alter ego Rose of the Sea. Besides having a pet vulture
named Bernard as her familiar
, she also commands an army of Goons. The most famous of the Goons is Alice the Goon
.
Because she is a woman, Popeye cannot physically attack her. His honor says that he would never hit a woman, even someone as evil as the Sea Hag. In such cases, it is Olive Oyl herself who steps in and does physical damage to her.
Upon meeting Popeye, she falls madly in love with him. Discovering that Popeye already has a girlfriend named Olive Oyl
she tries her best to be rid of Olive and win Popeye over to her favor. Popeye makes it clear to her though that under no circumstances would he be interested in a relationship with her. Enraged, on one occasion she gave Popeye's archenemy Bluto
a potion to become young and handsome as a means to win over Olive Oyl. Later after thinking that the Sea Hag had died, Popeye had this to say once he discovered that she wasn't: "I yam glad she ain't dead even if she is a exter bad woman. If they wasn't no bad women, maybe we wouldn't appreciate the good ones. Anyway, she yam what she yam!" Despite this the Sea Hag has tried to kill Popeye on occasion when upset that Popeye remains uninterested in her romantically.
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
. She is a tall, masculine looking witch
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
featured in comics/cartoons as a nemesis to the character Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
. The Sea Hag was created by Elzie Crisler Segar
E. C. Segar
Elzie Crisler Segar was an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of Popeye, a character who first appeared in 1929 in his comic strip Thimble Theatre. Asked how to say his name, he told The Literary Digest it was "SEE-gar". He commonly signed his work simply Segar or E...
in 1929 as part of the Thimble Theater comic strip.
Character history
The Sea Hag is one of the central enemies of Popeye the Sailor. She is the last witch on earth, and a piratePiracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
who sails the Seven Seas in her boat "The Black Barnacle". She is able to practice Voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of underground religious practices which originated from the traditions of the African diaspora. It is a cultural form of the Afro-American religions which developed within the French, Spanish, and Creole speaking African American...
magic and powerful enough to capture the equally magical Eugene the Jeep
Eugene the Jeep
Eugene the Jeep is a character in the Popeye comic strip. A mysterious animal with magical abilities, the Jeep first appeared in the March 16, 1936, appearance of Thimble Theatre strip...
and on one occasion Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
. She can even alter her appearance to that of her alter ego Rose of the Sea. Besides having a pet vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
named Bernard as her familiar
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
, she also commands an army of Goons. The most famous of the Goons is Alice the Goon
Alice the Goon
Alice the Goon is a fictional character in E. C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre and in the Popeye cartoon series derived from it.-History:...
.
Because she is a woman, Popeye cannot physically attack her. His honor says that he would never hit a woman, even someone as evil as the Sea Hag. In such cases, it is Olive Oyl herself who steps in and does physical damage to her.
Upon meeting Popeye, she falls madly in love with him. Discovering that Popeye already has a girlfriend named Olive Oyl
Olive Oyl
Olive Oyl is a cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar in 1919 for his comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was later renamed Popeye after the sailor character that became the most popular member of the cast; however Olive Oyl was a main character for 10 years before Popeye's 1929...
she tries her best to be rid of Olive and win Popeye over to her favor. Popeye makes it clear to her though that under no circumstances would he be interested in a relationship with her. Enraged, on one occasion she gave Popeye's archenemy Bluto
Bluto
Bluto is a cartoon and comics character created in 1932 by Elzie Crisler Segar as a one-time character, named "Bluto the Terrible", in his Thimble Theatre comic strip . Bluto made his first appearance September 12 of that year...
a potion to become young and handsome as a means to win over Olive Oyl. Later after thinking that the Sea Hag had died, Popeye had this to say once he discovered that she wasn't: "I yam glad she ain't dead even if she is a exter bad woman. If they wasn't no bad women, maybe we wouldn't appreciate the good ones. Anyway, she yam what she yam!" Despite this the Sea Hag has tried to kill Popeye on occasion when upset that Popeye remains uninterested in her romantically.
Other media
- In the 1960s, the Sea Hag made her television debut in Popeye the Sailor.
- In 1978, the Sea Hag appeared in The All-New Popeye HourThe All-New Popeye HourThe All-New Popeye Hour is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and King Features Syndicate. Starring the popular comic strip character Popeye, the series aired from 1978 to 1983 on CBS.-Production:...
animated series. She was voiced by actress Marilyn SchrefflerMarilyn SchrefflerMarilyn Schreffler was an American actress, who provided voice-overs for several animated TV programs, mostly for Hanna-Barbera Productions.-Life:Born in Concordia, Kansas, and had an affinity for cartoons since age 6...
, who also provided the voice of Olive Oyl. - In 2002, actress Diane SalingerDiane SalingerDiane Louise Salinger is an American actress, voice actress, and comedienne.-Filmography:* Creature as Melanie Bryce * Pee-wee's Big Adventure as Simone * The Morning After as Isabel Harding...
played the role of a Sea Hag on the hit WB series CharmedCharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
, where she made a pact with a mermaid (Jaime Presley) that she would be given a body to find love within 30 days, or else the Sea Hag would be taking her immortality from her. - In 2004, actress Kathy BatesKathy BatesKathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
performed the voice of the Sea Hag/Siren for the 3-D CGI animated feature Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for PappyPopeye's Voyage: The Quest for PappyPopeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy is a 2004 computer-animated direct-to-video film produced by Mainframe Entertainment for Lions Gate Entertainment...
. The storyline follows Popeye's journey to find his long lost father Poopdeck PappyPoopdeck PappyPoopdeck Pappy is a fictional character featured in the Popeye comic strip and animated cartoon spinoffs. Created by E.C. Segar in 1936, the character is Popeye's 99-year-old father.-History:...
in time for the holidays. As he sails the treacherous Seas of Mystery, he encounters the villainous Sea Hag who is smitten by the hulking seaman and vows to stop at nothing until she steals him away.