MICKEY'S ADVENTURES IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

As you've probably read in every other news feed in the universe, the Disney copyright for the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, Steamboat Willie, has expired and the 1928 animated featurette has entered the public domain. Which means we are free to share this particular version of pop culture's most beloved rodent without fear of litigation. The same now applies to Winnie the Pooh, Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood, among other storied creations. So look for some extremely low-budget mashups—possibly taking place aboard a steamboat—in which legendary detectives solve honey thefts that may or may not lead all the way to King John.

Be advised that later iterations of Mickey are subject to corporate vigilance. "We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright," reads a statement issued by Disney in connection with this development. In a related story, Goofy has his attorneys on speed dial.