Betty Boop and “Blondie” have now joined the ranks of Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh in the public domain.
Several classic comics and cartoon characters have reached the 95-year copyright limit in the United States, entering the public domain on January 1st. This development allows creators to utilize these characters freely, without needing permission or having to pay royalties.
Looking ahead to 2026, it’s unlikely any new releases will shine quite like Mickey and Winnie, who both recently became public domain characters.
Since 2019, when a lengthy period of restricted intellectual property ended due to Congressional copyright extensions, this annual emergence of new public domain works has been particularly welcomed by advocates for broader public access.
Law professor and director Jennifer Jenkins suggested that this year holds special significance. According to her, it’s a celebration of how familiar this culture feels. She emphasized that the works being released this year reflect the cultural fragility during the interwar period and the challenges of the Great Depression.
Here’s a closer look at what has become public domain recently, as analyzed by Jenkins and her research center.
Cartoons and comics: a playful chaos
Interestingly, Betty Boop was originally conceived as a dog. Yes, really.
When she debuted in the 1930 cartoon “Dizzy Dishes,” she was already embracing her identity as a Jazz Age flapper, which has since become iconic on various merchandise. With her youthful appearance, neatly curled hair, thick eyelashes, and petite mouth, she also sported floppy poodle ears that evolved into decorative earrings.
Although she began as an anthropomorphic dog associated with a character named Bimbo, she managed to overshadow him as she became popular for her playful singing and dancing in that little black dress. Even in her early days, she had her catchphrase, “Boop boop, doop.”
Jenkins humorously suggested that there’s potential for a new movie featuring Betty, noting she could draw in a good audience. “I mean, she was bitten by a radioactive dog—there’s a story there!”
Betty Boop was created and owned by Fleischer Studios, while Paramount Pictures distributed the short film. The character took some inspiration from singer Helen Kane, who was dubbed the “Boop-Oop-a-Doop Girl.” Interestingly, a lawsuit followed where Kane’s team claimed her likeness was used without permission, though historical arguments about earlier similar phrases surfaced during the trial.
Now, artists are free to incorporate this early version of Betty into their projects. That said, it’s crucial to navigate trademark issues, as having a trademark—like the one Fleischer Productions holds for Betty—differs from copyrighting the works featuring her.
In 1930, when the popularity was soaring, another character, Blondie Boopadoop, emerged as a central figure in Chic Young’s newspaper comic. This was also the year she debuted as a lively flapper. The comic’s popularity led to spin-offs like a movie series and a radio show, and it continues to be published.
Blondie’s adventures often revolved around her relationship with Dagwood Bumstead, with their marriage taking place in 1933. Over the years, Dagwood became the comical focal point of the strip.
Just two years after “Steamboat Willie” made the first version of Mickey Mouse part of the public domain, several new Mickey Mouse cartoons, along with his dog Pluto—known back then as Rover—also followed suit this year.
A classic detective trio arrives
This year’s releases also include works that introduce three iconic detectives.
— Nancy Drew debuts in the first four books, beginning with The Secret of the Old Clock, written by Mildred Benson under the alias Carolyn Keene in 1930.
— Sam Spade makes his first appearance in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon, a complete version published after being serialized earlier.
— Miss Marple is introduced through Agatha Christie’s earlier work, The Parsonage Murder, where she begins solving mysteries.
Moreover, after the release of The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying also became public domain, leading to his Nobel Prize recognition.
Additionally, the beloved characters Dick and Jane, essential in teaching children to read, emerged through the Elson Basic Readers textbook.
Notable films join the ranks
In this film, Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo cause uproar at a society gathering in Long Island.
Other films available in the public domain now include:
— “The Blue Angel,” which helped accentuate Marlene Dietrich’s legendary image.
— Bing Crosby’s debut in “The King of Jazz.”
— Two Oscar winners: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (1930) and “Cimarron” (1931), which were recognized at a time when Best Picture wasn’t yet aligned with the calendar year.
Looking to the future, the next several years will see a plethora of films from Hollywood’s Golden Age becoming public domain. For instance, 2027 is set to be monumental with titles like “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” from 1931 slated for release.
Melodies that reminisce the 1930s
This year, as in past ones, we witness a revival of memorable songs from the Great American Songbook.
— Classics by George Gershwin, featuring lyrics from Ira Gershwin: “Embraceable You,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” “But Not for Me,” and “I Got Rhythm.”
— Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell’s “Georgia in My Heart.”
— “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” penned by Gus Kahn, Fabian Andre, and Wilbur Schwandt.
Some recordings from as far back as 1925 are now in the public domain as well, including “Manhattan” by Rodgers and Hart, Marian Anderson’s “The Trouble I’ve Seen,” and Bessie Smith’s “The St. Louis Blues” featuring Louis Armstrong.
