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Coming 2027Pluto (named, as Mickey's dog)Walt Disney Productions · 1931 · Characters
The Moose Hunt (1931) is the first cartoon where the dog is called Pluto and belongs to Mickey. That version joins Rover (1930) in the US public domain.
US 2027 -
Coming 2027Pietr the Latvian (first Maigret)Georges Simenon · 1931 · Characters
The first novel with Inspector Maigret, in its original French, is free in the US.
US 2027 -
Coming 2027The Living Shadow (The Shadow)Walter B. Gibson · 1931 · Characters
The first pulp novel starring The Shadow, the cloaked vigilante who inspired Batman.
US 2027 -
Coming 2027Tintin in the Congo (original black-and-white)Hergé · 1931 · Characters
The original French album of Tintin's second adventure is free in the US, along with the first pages of Tintin in America.
US 2027 -
New in 2026Betty Boop (1930 debut)Fleischer Studios · 1930 · Characters
Betty Boop's first appearances (Dizzy Dishes and three other 1930 cartoons), when she still had dog ears.
US 2026 -
New in 2026Nancy Drew (first four books)Carolyn Keene (Mildred Benson) · 1930 · Characters
The original texts of the first four Nancy Drew books, starting with The Secret of the Old Clock, and the character as introduced.
US 2026 -
New in 2026Blondie and Dagwood (1930 strips)Chic Young · 1930 · Characters
The first year of the Blondie comic strip.
US 2026 -
New in 2026Rover (later Pluto), 1930Walt Disney Productions · 1930 · Characters
The dog's first appearances in The Chain Gang and The Picnic, plus nine 1930 Mickey cartoons and the first week of Mickey comic strips.
US 2026 -
EarlierSteamboat Willie (1928 Mickey and Minnie)Walt Disney, Ub Iwerks · 1928 · Characters
The first released Mickey Mouse sound cartoon and the 1928 Mickey and Minnie designs became free in the US in 2024.
US 2024 -
EarlierSherlock Holmes (all stories in the US)Arthur Conan Doyle · 1927 · Characters
The last Holmes stories became free in the US in 2023, ending the estate's licensing claims there. In Europe, everything has been free since 2001.
US 2023Life+70 2001 -
EarlierWinnie-the-Pooh and Tigger (US)A. A. Milne, E. H. Shepard · 1926 · Characters
The 1926 book became free in the US in 2022 and The House at Pooh Corner (Tigger) in 2024. The horror film Blood and Honey showed the demand.
US 2022 -
EarlierPopeye and Tintin (1929 debuts, US)E. C. Segar; Hergé · 1929 · Characters
Popeye's first Thimble Theatre strips and Tintin in the Land of the Soviets became free in the US in 2025.
US 2025
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