By John Q. Hosedrinker 
On January 1st, a new wave of artistic works entered the public domain, marking the end of their 95-year copyright terms. Iconic characters such as Betty Boop and Blondie, along with Mickey Mouse’s dog Pluto (initially known as Rover), were among the many works that became freely available for use. In addition, the first appearances of Nancy Drew, Sam Spade, and Miss Marple in book form also entered the public domain. This year’s entries also include the Marx Brothers’ “Animal Crackers,” the German film “The Blue Angel,” and several classic songs like “Embraceable You” and “Georgia on My Mind.”
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Betty Boop and ‘Blondie’ enter the public domain in 2026, accompanied by a trio of detectives.
Well, this is going to be an interesting year for anyone with a penchant for the vintage, the creative, and the potentially… slightly risqué. In 2026, a whole host of beloved characters and works will officially fall into the public domain, meaning anyone can use, adapt, and reimagine them without needing to seek permission or pay royalties. And at the forefront of this pop culture explosion? None other than the iconic Betty Boop and the long-running comic strip, “Blondie.”
Now, let’s talk about Betty Boop first. This is a big deal! We’re talking about the earliest versions of the flapper-esque character, the ones that first brought her to life on the silver screen. Artists are going to have a field day, creating all sorts of new content featuring this classic character. Films, games, you name it – the possibilities are endless. However, there’s a crucial distinction to make here, a point that’s often overlooked: while the *character* enters the public domain, the *trademark* of Betty Boop remains with the original rights holders. What this means in practice is that while you can create and distribute your own Betty Boop stories, you *can’t* market “Betty Boop” branded merchandise. Think of it like this: you can draw Betty Boop all day long, but you can’t slap her image on a T-shirt and sell it without a license.
On the other hand, the artistic freedom to use her in new stories and adaptations is really opening doors. We might see a lot of interesting takes on the character. I can already picture a horror movie about Betty Boop, as an example. An urban exploration team enters a long-abandoned speakeasy, and *gasp*, they encounter the vengeful spirit of a 1920s flapper with a penchant for scatting “boop-oop-a-doop.” It’s the kind of premise that could either be a campy delight or a genuinely terrifying experience. It’s important to note, the “dog version” is also hitting the public domain in 2026. This is the version, which looks quite different.
The other major player in this public domain bonanza is “Blondie.” The comic strip that has entertained generations. This opens the door to adaptations in other formats, such as games, etc. But let’s be honest, it is the erotic fan fiction writers that are really going to have a heyday with this.
Now, about that “trio of detectives” mentioned in the title. This is where things get a little… confusing. The immediate assumption, and the one the headline likely intends, is that we’re getting the legendary detectives Nancy Drew, Sam Spade, and Miss Marple entering the public domain. However, this is NOT the case. None of these characters are mentioned as going into the public domain in 2026, it seems. So, the mention of the “trio of detectives” is more of a potential creative spark to inspire new stories, or maybe it’s just a wishful thought.
Of course, the public domain isn’t just about Betty Boop and “Blondie.” A whole host of other cultural treasures are becoming fair game. These include The Little Engine That Could, The Hardy Boys, and an early version of The Three Stooges, among others. There’s also Pluto, but only two early versions. The list goes on and includes Tintin and some interesting pieces of visual art.
It’s worth emphasizing the distinction between public domain and trademark again. It’s a key legal point and one that often causes confusion. This is particularly important for well-known characters like Betty Boop. You can have fun with them, draw them, write stories about them, adapt them in your own way. You just can’t, for example, produce official “Betty Boop” merchandise without navigating the trademark issues.
The possibilities are almost endless. We could see a resurgence of interest in classic characters. Maybe a wave of new, creative, and sometimes rather unusual adaptations will arise. Some of them will be good, some of them will be bad, and some of them will be so bad they’re good. And isn’t that really the point? The public domain gives everyone the opportunity to play in the sandbox of creativity.