The Dark Truth Behind Mickey Mouse That Might Definitely Ruin Your Childhood

The origins of the iconic Mickey Mouse can be traced back to a cartoon known as "Hungry Hobos," created in 1928 and discovered only in 2011. This piece of Disney history features a character who was the precursor to Mickey Mouse, found in a British film archive.

The black-and-white footage features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and was drawn shortly before the character was abandoned and turned into Mickey Mouse that same year.

Mickey made his unforgettable debut in the legendary film "Steamboat Willie," which first graced the screen at the Colony Theatre on Broadway on November 18, 1928. 

This film, among the first to feature synchronized sound and music, catapulted Mickey to stardom, where he starred in over 130 films alongside beloved characters like Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Donald Duck, and Goofy.

In fact, the American cartoonist Floyd Gottfredson penned a series of daily comics in which Mickey Mouse tried to take his own life after Minnie rejected him. Fortunately, Mickey's efforts were continuously thwarted by various humorous circumstances or wacky mishaps. 

For instance, he found the water too chilly to carry out his plan, or he couldn't quite p out how to operate a simple shotgun. Eventually, Mickey had a change of heart, deciding that life was worth living, and he abandoned his suicide plot.

Believe it or not, the idea for this story arc came from none other than Walt Disney himself,  as reported by Comics Alliance. 

The comic strips were initially launched in 1930, after being suggested in 1929, following the success of the Mickey Mouse animations. 

These comic strips took flight in 1930, a year after they were conceived in 1929, riding on the coattails of Mickey Mouse's animated success. Initially, the artwork was in the skilled hands of Ub Iwerks, a renowned animator and Walt's business partner. 

However, Iwerks eventually left the company, paving the way for Floyd Gottfredson to continue crafting Mickey's comic adventures.

In one from 1930, Mickey builds a homemade airplane for a romantic flight with Minnie. However, their plans take a nosedive when Minnie falls from the aircraft, leaving Mickey to navigate a treacherous storm and end up on a deserted island where the locals try to eat him.

Meanwhile, in another storyline, Mickey finds himself pitted against two villains who've kidnapped Minnie. Their goal? To find out about a hidden gold mine owned by her uncle.

He is an animal abuser

In a blog post titled "The Dark Side of Mickey'' on Medium, writer Jasmin James delves into the less-known aspects of Mickey Mouse's character. Surprisingly, despite being a mouse himself, Mickey was sometimes depicted engaging in animal cruelty. 

For instance, there's one comic strip where Mickey, feeling frustrated because a race horse he bet on didn't win, callously comments that it's "not even worth sending to the glue factory. 

Another blogger, known as The Journal of Cartoon Overanalyzations, has shed light on Mickey's not-so-innocent behavior. For instance, there's a case where he twisted up a wiener dog to serve as a makeshift motor for a plane's propeller. 

The post recalls the notorious Steamboat Willie animation, where Mickey uses animals as musical instruments. 'This goes beyond animal cruelty,' the author writes. Mickey's actions include swinging a cat by its tail and tossing it overboard, separating a piglet from its mother, and playing the poor sow's teats like an accordion.

Mickey is not LGBTQ+ friendly

As you know, Mickey’s plots are meant to reflect people’s lifestyles, and every story portrays jokes without any severe consequences. 

In an episode, Mickey pays a visit to his neighbor, "Kat Nipp," who's portrayed as a tough character. However, the issue arises when Kat Nipp emerges from his cave dressed and behaving in a stereotypically "gay" manner.

Instead of embracing diversity, Mickey's character takes a regrettably intolerant turn. He kicks Kat Nipp off his back and expresses his disapproval in a loud and insensitive manner.