It all began with a mouse, and now that big-eared rodent is in the middle of a turf war between conservatives and one of the world's most influential media companies.
Mickey Mouse has been the symbol for Walt Disney Co. since debuting 94 years ago in a black-and-white short film that launched the company into an animation powerhouse.
But in 2024, the copyright protection for Mickey Mouse will expire, putting the original, old-timey version of the mouse from the "Steamboat Willie" animation in the public domain, freeing it for artists, creators and everyday fans to use in their own creative work.
