The Uncensored Mouse

There were no subscriptions offered to this twice-a-month publication which offered reprints of the daily Mickey Mouse comic strip, starting with the first one (Jan. 13, 1930). Since the strips themselves had not been registered with the Copyright Office and Eternity provided the notation, “Mickey Mouse is a registered trademark of Walt Disney Productions,” Eternity (a Malibu imprint) hoped there’d be no legal difficulties in the project. Moreover, the strips were accompanied by a wealth of Mickey Mouse historical material provided by Bill Blackbeard, who also provided an article. Fair use arguments did not keep the Disney company from taking action, among its arguments being that much early strip content was based on animated Mickey Mouse material which was copyrighted. The April 20, 1989, Entertainment Tonight TV show featured the controversy. Though Eternity solicited issues through #8 (July 1989), the title was quickly pulled—ironically, despite the covers crediting Gottfredson, before it could get to strips Gottfredson drew. (There is Gottfredson work in each but not in the reprinted strips.)

~ Maggie Thompson

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#1

Black cover

Apr 1989

Cover: $2.50

W: Walt Disney, Bill Blackbeard · A: Ub Iwerks, Win Smith, Floyd Gottfredson

Reprints Mickey Mouse comic strip (daily): Jan. 13, 1930-Mar. 5, 1930

19 copies from $4.00
#2

Black cover

Apr 1989

Cover: $2.50

W: Walt Disney, Jim Korkis · A: Ub Iwerks, Win Smith, Floyd Gottfredson

Reprints Mickey Mouse comic strip (daily): Mar. 6, 1930-Apr. 26, 1930; Final issue

8 copies from $6.50