Disney plans "edgier" Mickey, jealous Oswald

[The Coyote Never Wins]

Personally, I think it could be interesting. (It could also be terrible, but we won't know until it comes out.) It helps that Warren Spector is behind it--this isn't a guy who makes a habit out of churning out really bad by-the-numbers video games.

To me, the game looks like it has a Floyd Gottfredson-meets-steampunk vibe, which is really an interesting take on the character. This could be good. If it isn't, well, toss it up there with the other 10,043 failed attempts to revive a classic cartoon character, I guess.

[Matthew Hunter]

I always thought Mickey Mouse was about as exciting as watching grass grow. Until folks like David and Thad introduced me to some early shorts and comics. Some of the early newspaper comic serials, in particular, done by Floyd Gottfredson with input from Walt himself, were and are amazing stuff. Mickey was a strong, interesting and heroic personality. He will never be as FUNNY as the likes of Donald and Goofy, but it's nice to see that they're trying to bring back his edge.

[FishBulb]

There's a difference between returning the original edge and pulling a Loonatics. Of course this wont be as bad as that, but so far I'm not sure what category this fits into.

[Tom Stathes]

Originally Posted by FishBulb

I'm not sure what category this fits into.

Isn't it just that...returning his original edge?

[Ray Pointer]

Mickey was not a comedic character so much. He was a heroic symbol in a mouse with a bashful boyish personality. It was his good-natured spirit and sense of right that made him the enduring figure that he was in his original form. Over the years, he seemed to have become neutralized because the foundation of his character has already been established, and his continued appearance was based on what had been done before. So his "brand name" was already established based on a past reputation of more amibitious vehicles.

[kaneda]

The Mickey in the comic strips was the little guy against the big guy. It worked fairly well but was a little repetitive. Perhaps they might try him as an investigative reporter, which was used for a time in the strips.

[Tom Stathes]

Originally Posted by Ray Pointer

Mickey was not a comedic character so much. He was a heroic symbol in a mouse with a bashful boyish personality. It was his good-natured spirit and sense of right that made him the enduring figure that he was in his original form. Over the years, he seemed to have become neutralized because the foundation of his character has already been established, and his continued appearance was based on what had been done before. So his "brand name" was already established based on a past reputation of more amibitious vehicles.

Had I not seen the early cartoons and comic strips, I'm afraid I would feel the same as most younger people do- Mickey seems to only be a corporate symbol in the past few decades. Today there are very few live links to the characteristics which first founded Mickey's reputation.

[captchucky]

Both the early comic strips and the Paul Murry serials captured mickey best after his cartoon series ran down around WW2. I don't see any reason to change him.

[David Gerstein]

I think the idea is to change him to something more like the comic strip character—from the bland, smiling bandleader he's been in most modern merchandise.

[FleischerFan]

Originally Posted by J Lee

...(leaving aside the fact they already have a Donald-vs.-Mickey adversarial arrangement that would make the revised Oswald's personality redundant if they try to use it outside the Nintendo game).

Could you expand on this thought?

Is this "adversarial" relationship something unique to the Disney characters in the video game world? I am pretty familiar with Disney characters in cartoons, comics strips, and comic books and I would never have characterized Mickey & Donald as adversaries.

While Donald always runs into machines, insects, and smaller animals that cause his temper to flare, he usually appears as a friend of Mickeys in most of the adventures they shared.

I guess in a few of the very earlier appearances of Donald & Mickey ("the Band Concert" - "Mickey's Magic Show"), he was a ham trying to horn in on Mickey's act, but Mickey always reacted good-naturedly. And the bulk of their joint appearances, Mickey, Donald & the Goof were amigos.

There is certainly nothing in their relationship to equal the Bugs-Daffy rivalry.