Popeye artist Randy Milholland has announced a new Steamboat Willie comic that is more than a simple parody, as the Mickey Mouse short enters the public domain. Steamboat Willie’s arrival in the public domain is one of the biggest entertainment stories of 2024, and several creators have announced plans for projects based on the cartoon. Most are horror-based cash grabs, but Milholland’s new comic is far more than that.
Randy Milholland, who draws the Sunday Popeye feature as well as the webcomic Something Positive, has unveiled his comic, called Mousetrapped. Each entry features Mickey Mouse, as he was depicted in the Steamboat Willie cartoon. Milholland said his intent was to show what happened to Mickey after the boat arrived at its destination.
The comics are kid-friendly, and honor the spirit of the original cartoon.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Milholland mused that he was perhaps the only creator doing a Steamboat Willie riff that was not out to twist or mock the character.
Steamboat Willie Was a Watershed Moment in American Animation
Steamboat Willie helped launch the Disney media empire. Released in 1928, Steamboat Willie introduced the world to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and set the tone for all of his adventures to come. 96 years after its release, Steamboat Willie remains a landmark in American animation. On January 1, 2024, Steamboat Willie’s copyright expired, and it entered the public domain, meaning anyone can create works based on it. While later incarnations of Mickey Mouse are still under copyright, Steamboat Willie is fair game.
As expected, derivative works based on Steamboat Willie are already in the works. A day after the cartoon entered the public domain, Mickey’s Mouse Trap, a slasher-film based on Steamboat Willie, was announced. Numerous memes featuring the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse flooded the internet, and comedian John Oliver promised to use the character as the mascot for Last Week Tonight. Some of these works will keep Disney’s lawyers busy as the reality of the situation surrounding Mickey’s entrance into the public domain is much more complicated.
Superman’s Fight With DC’s Popeye is So Much Weirder Than Anyone Thought
Superman’s 1973 fight against a DC Comics version of Popeye was not only a bizarre bout, but it also contained a cautionary message about drugs.
Mousetrapped Is the Perfect Homage to Steamboat Willie
Regardless of whether Mickey’s Mouse Trap or other knock-offs ever make it to fruition,Milholland is right: most are simply out to mock Mickey, or create a corrupted version. Milholland’s Mousetrapped is the antidote to these parodies. The stories are family-friendly, featuring other public domain characters as well. Milholland is not out to offend, or make a quick buck, but instead to entertain, and Mousetrapped does just that. Milholland’s work on Popeye has drawn rave reviews, and now he is bringing this touch to Mickey Mouse, as Steamboat Willie enters the public domain.
Source 1: Mousetrapped
Source 2: Randy Milholland
