The copyright has only expired for the Steamboat Willie era Mickey, which was in black and white. Mickey with color shorts and shoes is still under copyright. It should be interesting. There’s two different horror movies featuring Mickey as the villain that were announced since the copyright expired.
Far from as blatant as Berke Breathed’s Mortimer Mouse (does anyone remember him as Ricky Rat?) from his post Bloom County Outland strips about 35 years ago. One of his ears has teeth marks from then Disney CEO Michael Eisner after a fight (see the Nov 12 & 19, 1989 Outland strips on Go Comics).
Copyright law needs to be revised – when Disney made “Steamboat Willie,” no one expected the explosion of media we have now, where a film made 100 years ago is readily available for anyone to watch any time. They used to be released and then into a vault; now it’s almost eternally in release.
Today is the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Not a single comic I read made reference to it. I guess this does add weight to his statement. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
In US copyright law, the rights for a character expire 95 years after the publication of the original work. With Steamboat Willie debuting in 1928, January 2024 marked the expiration date for the short. So the mischievous, rat-like, non-speaking boat captain in “Steamboat Willie” has become public. According to Fortune magazine:
“More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright. Disney still solidly and separately holds a trademark on Mickey as a corporate mascot and brand identifier, and the law forbids using the character deceptively to fool consumers into thinking a product is from the original creator. . . Anyone starting a film company or a theme park will not be free to make mouse ears their logo."
Someone has already rolled out a cheesy horror movie featuring this version of Steamboat Willie mouse, so the royalties should be rolling in any day now.
Get ready for “Mickey’s Mouse Trap” based on the now out of copyright Steamboat Willie cartoon. And lets not forget about “Blood and Honey” based on the original Winnie the Pooh. Heads up that both are basically horror movies.
The thing about copyrights is that they aren’t meant to last a long time to ENCOURAGE creativity, rather than rest on the laurels of past successes. Correct me if I’m wrong.
haven’t seen too many ambulatory vocal comic strip characters begging for money lately, though. More than happy to help, otherwise. I wonder how Disney’s doing?
Ratkin 4 months ago
I think Disney will do just fine.
comic4matt 4 months ago
Worst part, it’s not even the right Mickey. Disney could sue, if they felt like it…
Jason Allen 4 months ago
The copyright has only expired for the Steamboat Willie era Mickey, which was in black and white. Mickey with color shorts and shoes is still under copyright. It should be interesting. There’s two different horror movies featuring Mickey as the villain that were announced since the copyright expired.
Concretionist 4 months ago
I see Wiley succumbed to the desire to use that formerly copyright image.
Superfrog 4 months ago
Someone’s taking the Mickey.
OldsVistaCruiser 4 months ago
Wiley slipped us a Mickey! And that Mickey Mouse organization (Disney) can’t do jack.
wallylm 4 months ago
Far from as blatant as Berke Breathed’s Mortimer Mouse (does anyone remember him as Ricky Rat?) from his post Bloom County Outland strips about 35 years ago. One of his ears has teeth marks from then Disney CEO Michael Eisner after a fight (see the Nov 12 & 19, 1989 Outland strips on Go Comics).
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member 4 months ago
Forty years too late, but yeah.
Can't Sleep 4 months ago
Copyright law needs to be revised – when Disney made “Steamboat Willie,” no one expected the explosion of media we have now, where a film made 100 years ago is readily available for anyone to watch any time. They used to be released and then into a vault; now it’s almost eternally in release.
unclebob53703 Premium Member 4 months ago
Poor Mickey…I don’t even want to think what Minnie is up to.
phritzg Premium Member 4 months ago
A couple winters living on the street and he’ll start to look like Mickey Rat™
PoodleGroomer 4 months ago
What happened to the pension plan?
duggersd Premium Member 4 months ago
It’s a good thing the copywrite expired otherwise this comic would be involved in litigation. Disney is notorious for defending their copywrites.
dflak 4 months ago
Today is the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Not a single comic I read made reference to it. I guess this does add weight to his statement. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
morningglory73 Premium Member 4 months ago
Okay, that explains a lot.
freewaydog 4 months ago
I thought it was just the B/W “Steamboat Willie” whose copyright expired?
gammaguy 4 months ago
Suffering from residual anxiety?
ksu71 4 months ago
Disney is evil.
HOTLOTUS1 4 months ago
ragsarooni Premium Member 4 months ago
I was truly surprised that Steamboat Willie was allowed to expire by the Disney family…w/o him u have no Mickey…
GreenT267 4 months ago
In US copyright law, the rights for a character expire 95 years after the publication of the original work. With Steamboat Willie debuting in 1928, January 2024 marked the expiration date for the short. So the mischievous, rat-like, non-speaking boat captain in “Steamboat Willie” has become public. According to Fortune magazine:
“More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright. Disney still solidly and separately holds a trademark on Mickey as a corporate mascot and brand identifier, and the law forbids using the character deceptively to fool consumers into thinking a product is from the original creator. . . Anyone starting a film company or a theme park will not be free to make mouse ears their logo."
https://Fortune.com/2023/12/23/disney-mickey-mouse-copyright-public-domain-steamboat-willie/
BeniHanna6 Premium Member 4 months ago
Disney deserves all the bad luck it is causes it’s self.
Kurtass Premium Member 4 months ago
Is that Rhonda Santis in the white boots?
powerhawk1956 4 months ago
Well, there goes an entire legal department!
mistercatworks 4 months ago
Basically, it’s a free meme that has now been passed around by more than half of the comic strip creators.
kathleenhicks62 4 months ago
This year? This century is beyond weird. Still not liking it.
Nuliajuk 4 months ago
Someone has already rolled out a cheesy horror movie featuring this version of Steamboat Willie mouse, so the royalties should be rolling in any day now.
Mike Baldwin creator 4 months ago
Rats!
AlienHillbilly 4 months ago
Some people just want to take the Mickey out of this …..
Zarnof 4 months ago
Get ready for “Mickey’s Mouse Trap” based on the now out of copyright Steamboat Willie cartoon. And lets not forget about “Blood and Honey” based on the original Winnie the Pooh. Heads up that both are basically horror movies.
eddi-TBH 4 months ago
It’s going to be a Mickey Mouse year all right.
wildlandwaters 4 months ago
Let’s all pitch in and get ’im a steamboat!
Otis Rufus Driftwood 4 months ago
The thing about copyrights is that they aren’t meant to last a long time to ENCOURAGE creativity, rather than rest on the laurels of past successes. Correct me if I’m wrong.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 4 months ago
I’m the guy they call little Mickey Mouse…got a sweetie down at the Chicken House,,,,,
keenanthelibrarian 4 months ago
haven’t seen too many ambulatory vocal comic strip characters begging for money lately, though. More than happy to help, otherwise. I wonder how Disney’s doing?