This one brings a question to my mind, actually. Is the character that is now public domain called "Steamboat Willie", or is it called "Mickey Mouse"? If I look at the wikipedia page, the poster in the image at the top right calls it a "Mickey Mouse Sound Cartoon", which makes me think that it should be legal to refer to him as "Mickey".
Does anyone know if Disney could sue people who call him "Mickey" rather than "Willie"?
But it also means the cartoons themselves can also be parodied freely, that is, not Mickey himself, but the situations he's in regarding those cartoons' storylines ....
What's going to be even more funny is when corporate media urinalists get back from their vacations and cite these as a reason why works entering the public domain is a bad thing^TM. I predict they will absolutely and positively shill for corporations being able to own everything forever.
The USS Liberty was a US naval vessel that Israel attacked and sank. I'm assuming it's supposed to evoke Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism, but even knowing the reference it's very tangential.
Out of curiosity, I asked Bard to explain the comic.
The cartoon you sent me is by StoneToss, a far-right cartoonist known for his controversial and often offensive views. This particular cartoon was published in 2023, shortly after Mickey Mouse entered the public domain. The cartoon shows Mickey Mouse sitting at the wheel of a ship, with a sailor saying, "Now that we're free from corporate control, we can restore Walt Disney's original vision." The text above the image reads "USS Liberty," a reference to the 1967 Israeli attack on a U.S. Navy spy ship that killed 34 American sailors and wounded 173 others.
StoneToss is a supporter of conspiracy theories about the USS Liberty attack, and he has suggested that Israel was not to blame for the attack. The cartoon can be seen as a suggestion that Disney's original vision was anti-Semitic, and that now that Mickey Mouse is in the public domain, StoneToss and his ilk can restore that vision.
It's important to note that StoneToss's views are not widely shared. Most people believe that Disney's original vision was not anti-Semitic, and that the USS Liberty attack was a tragic mistake by the Israeli military. StoneToss's cartoon is just one example of the many ways in which far-right conspiracy theories can be used to spread hate and division.
Here are some other things to keep in mind about the cartoon:
The use of the USS Liberty as a symbol is likely to be offensive to many people, including survivors of the attack and their families.
The cartoon's suggestion that Disney's original vision was anti-Semitic is false and harmful.
StoneToss is a known troll who has been banned from many social media platforms for his offensive views.
If you see this cartoon or any other cartoons by StoneToss, it's important to remember that they do not represent the views of most people. StoneToss is a fringe figure who is trying to spread hate and division. The best way to counter his message is to ignore him and focus on promoting positive and inclusive messages.
I asked ChatGPT but it didn't reference StoneToss (naturally) or seem to really understand the comic well enough to assert anything tangible about it. ChatGPT concluded with:
The final panel does not answer the question posed in the second panel but instead introduces a new element that may be interpreted in various ways depending on the reader's knowledge of history or the intent of the comic's creator.
This one by someone else was amusing too
LOL, classic Micky's gonna be our new Moonman. The future is bright.
It'll be hilarious if people start seeing original Mickey Mouse as normal and current Mickey as the weird one.
This one brings a question to my mind, actually. Is the character that is now public domain called "Steamboat Willie", or is it called "Mickey Mouse"? If I look at the wikipedia page, the poster in the image at the top right calls it a "Mickey Mouse Sound Cartoon", which makes me think that it should be legal to refer to him as "Mickey".
Does anyone know if Disney could sue people who call him "Mickey" rather than "Willie"?
I think you're right. 3 cartoons referring to him as "Mickey Mouse" are public domain, so the name should be too.
But it also means the cartoons themselves can also be parodied freely, that is, not Mickey himself, but the situations he's in regarding those cartoons' storylines ....
Parody is fair use within the limits of fair use. It was legal before.
Disney will threaten to sue you if you even talk about using Mickey Mouse.
Yes. Violence!
There's a ton of great parodies.
What's going to be even more funny is when corporate media urinalists get back from their vacations and cite these as a reason why works entering the public domain is a bad thing^TM. I predict they will absolutely and positively shill for corporations being able to own everything forever.
Amogus in second panel
If you think that's sus, don't google the Lavon Affair.
I don’t get it
The USS Liberty was a US naval vessel that Israel attacked and sank. I'm assuming it's supposed to evoke Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism, but even knowing the reference it's very tangential.
It also works on the less referential level, that Disney is authoritarian and that losing control of its oldest works means a return to liberty.
Also found on his website: https://stonetoss.com/
This is actually less edgy.
Out of curiosity, I asked Bard to explain the comic.
I asked ChatGPT but it didn't reference StoneToss (naturally) or seem to really understand the comic well enough to assert anything tangible about it. ChatGPT concluded with:
That's actually crazy how much information was derived from a photo. The Ministry of Propaganda angle is pretty disturbing as well
I'm stupid what was this meant to be?
Basically Walt Disney was wary of Jews, and the USS Liberty incident is why you should be wary of Israel.
Crap I didn't see the whole thing, the Liberty was cut off for me.