The mouse does not want to be free, he has it too good.

He isn't whored out by any cartoonist or plagerist who wishes to hitch their star to a great history.

I don't quite understand people's obsession with freeing the mouse, it's not like he is a deep character upon which you can project an epic story of the human condition.

He's a mouse, with a squeeky voice, and relativly non-descript.

You can make a roderick rat character (as Warner Brothers and Speilberg did) but by altering the character you will always disassociate it from the original.

So why does any one want him? Is it just ment as a screw you to "the man"? If so, that's a little childish, but then again we are talking about adults who draw funny pictures for a living.

'twas a funny one, though.

Oh, it's a topic ripe for satirical possibilities, but Mr. Bolling's other variations on this theme were much better.

Remember Scalia rescuing Superman from the Public Domain? Now that was funny!

If he weren't keeping other three-generation-old ideas out of the public domain. Most publishers don't last that long and too many works end up in limbo, with copymight disputed and nobody willing to take the risks of republishing them.

In any case, any artificial claim on non-scarce goods requires violation of natural claims on scarce goods.

What ideas does Disney keep all to itself?

Mouse, duck, and semi-human dog characters are prolific in numerous guieses.

People, like Mr. Bolling produce their own interpretations of Hercules, Pinochio, Snow White, and the mouse, without consequence, they just asked not to tred too closely on the creations of others.

You know, sort of how I can't rerecord Behtoven's 9th symphony and tell people about this great symphony I just made up all by myself.

If you can't come up with your own ideas, maybe you need to find a new profession.

Marvel doesn't own Thor, but they do own Don Blake. That which they create is their's, that which they do not is the public's.

Disney doens't own cartoon mice, but they do own one. As such even though it was a clear rip off of other works that came before it, Maus is still allowable.

What's the argument?

Hi Clockwork Smurf,

I think the argument is one of fair play. Disney plundered the public domain for many of their creations (i.e. the ones shown in the cartoon above). Now when it comes Disney's turn to give their creations to the public domain, they don't want to do it -- they'd rather change the rules.

That's what pisses people off -- Disney had no problems taking advantage of expired copyrights when it benefited them, but they don't want to allow anyone else the same opportunities they received. People see that as selfish, and "cheating".

-Jeremy

jfriesne beat me to this point by just minutes:

All those League of Public Domain Properties characters? Disney has appropriated *each* of those characters and based entire movies on them! And raked millions from these characters created by others long ago prior. I'd say some of those movies were good, too, but they mightn't have existed if copyrights had lasted as long as Disney wants them to last for their own characters, i.e. "to infinity and beyond."

What does that have to do with either of my observations?

Disney's copymight shenanigans mean that countless other works, from other publishers, are no longer publishable, because the mights are disputed, and the works are not clearly orphaned.

In my humble opinion, there are works as great as any of Beethoven's in this limbo. It is as important to free existing works of this quality (and give credit where credit is due) as to create new works.

Anyway, ideas are infinitely reproducible, so they can't be legitimately owned.

Of course...I think protecting active artists or their companies rights kind of outweighs the rights of consumers and publishers to profit from other peoples toil.

What is the value of one idea. That thing so perfect that one creates that everyone wants?

Certainly Disney has found lost treasures over the years appropriated them and made great profit from it, but should they be punished for their efforts to create by those wihtout imagination of their own?

I just think that if you want to call yourself a creative you shouldn't need others creations. And if you want to enjoy creations, you shouldn't expect to get others work for free.

That somethings live in limbo for a time because the rights are as yet undetermined. It seems like a small price to pay to keep others from appropriating others work without proper compensation.

@clockwork smurf:

"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;"

Familiar? Its from the Constitution.

Notice the words "for limited times"?

Copyright is a restriction of the public's innate right to make copies of works they own, justified because it is

a) limited

b) leads to the creation of more useful works by providing an avenue for compensation to creators.

And yet, the extention of copyright on Mickey Mouse was not necessary to achieve goal #2. The proof? That Mickey Mouse was created BEFORE the extention of the copyright term!

And that's why people are upset.

This strip is brilliant and just as good as Tom's previous 'toon with Scalia and Superman.

I think it makes it's point very, very well - Walt Disney, a generally ethical businessman, created a media empire using countless characters from the public domain including all those depicted in this strip.

Now, the greedy fuckheads who run his company today are doing all they can to make sure that nothing ever gets into the public domain again.

Speaking for myself, I've been eagerly awaiting for Marvel Comics to come out with "Essential Master of Kung Fu," like they've done with all their other characters from the 1970's.

But that will never happen because one of the main characters was Fu Manchu. Marvel no longer has the rights to Fu Manchu and as a result, that book will never be published because, thanks to Disney, Fu Manchu will remain in private hands in perpetuity.

On the plus side, all my MOKF comics are sure to increase in value because they can't be reprinted.