Steamboat Sailor Brawl! - A Public Domain Comic

Want to jump straight to the latest panel? Click here. Otherwise, learn a bit more about Steamboat Sailor Brawl!, a public domain comic project started by cartoonist David A. Davis.

About the Comic

To celebrate the arrival of the iconic Popeye the Sailor in the public domain, I wanted to draw a continuous, cartoony fight scene. It made sense to include my rough-and-tumble take on Steamboat Willie (aka Mickey Mouse). Thus, Steamboat Sailor Brawl! emerged—a comic that explores transformative work using public domain cartoon characters.

The project is simple: throughout 2025 I will attempt to draw as many comic panels as I can, sometimes daily, depicting a ridiculous brawl between these two cartoon icons. In the spirit of this being a comic utilizing public domain characters, you are welcome to remix and repurpose these cartoons, or join in the fun.

Contact me if you would like to add a panel or two. I am sure I could use the break here and there. Contributors will be credited.

Why the Public Domain?

Much in the spirit of my other public domain endeavor, The Shmoofy Experiment, I want this project to represent open culture and transformative works. Both Mickey Mouse and Popeye can be used by anyone (to varying degrees) as of January 1st, 2025. However, rather than use them as is, I ended up developing my take on the characters to make them a little more me. The differences help me avoid any trademark shenanigans by corporations, which is an unfortunate reality that still limits many great works that should be free and open.

With that said, I don’t claim ownership of these designs, so anyone is welcome to adapt or repurpose them, even for profit. I just ask that you let me know so I can check it out. As such, I am using the following Creative Commons license for this page.

Steamboat Sailor Brawl! by hpkomic is licensed under CC BY 4.0