Seems Disney is considering a Dennis the Menace meets Chucky refresh of Mickey Mouse. (See “After Mickey’s Makeover, Less Mr. Nice Guy,” the New York Times, November 5, 2009.) It seems risky, but millions of us contributed to DC Comics’ success when they let us see the dark side of Batman. A conflicted, sometimes tortured Batman rejuvenated the franchise and dramatically broadened the superhero’s audience. Sophisticated kids today are not engaged by characters who verge on the dogmatic or overly simplistic. Too nice, or too mean, is uninteresting. Even the hero of THE INCREDIBLES had flaws. Kids saw that and laughed.

Disney has a relevancy issue with their spokesmouse because they for so long used Mickey as a symbol of the company, not a character involved in situations that have any relevance to youth. Mickey has sold out, gone corporate, and lost all texture.

It’s vital that Mickey gets another dimension added to his personality. It will confirm for kids that you can be one way, AND another, rather than this simplistic, all or nothing type of creature. That’s simply too much to live up to.

A darker Mickey with a heightened survival mode, delivered in a gaming environment should connect with youngsters if only because kids will be excited to see how they can help Mickey “survive” in this new world. Chronicles of mischievous schemes, tight spots, and narrow escapes should give an old character a new chance to connect with the timeless scamp that resides in every kid. And because today video games are one of the main channels through which kids connect with characters, this makes sense.

In the end however, it will come down to the sense of morality and hopefulness that Mickey has always stood for. If breaking the rules means creativity, ingenuity, smarts and empathy, then bring it on, badass mouse! If our new Mickey is cunning, callous, wasteful, and lewd, then Disney has set its own mousetrap.