Mickey Mouse Magazine is a highly coveted collectible with a loyal following!
The magazine is a vibrant, lively children's comic book that ran in various forms of its evolution between 1933 and 1940. A total of 60 issues were published in five volumes in that span of time. The magazine was published only in the United States and only in English. While Western Publishing also published a number of other children's magazines, however, few were as popular and long lived as Mickey Mouse Magazine.
The first thing to know about Mickey Mouse Magazine is that it changed form over its 7 year lifespan. It started as a freebie featuring Disney products, then evolved into to a small booklet of illustrated stories, and finally into a fully formed comic book. Finally it was re-branded as Walt Disney's Comics and Stories.
Series One, 1933
- Creator: Kay Kamen, Disney Merchandising Executive
- What: Free Promotional Giveaway
- When: January 1933 - September 1933
- Number of Issues: 9
The very first version appeared in January of 1933 and was created by Kay Kaman who was in charge of merchandising for Disney. At first it was a free, giveaway item intended to promote Disney products in various settings that were already featuring Disney products - specifically in movie theaters and the toy section in some large department stores.
First Ever Mickey Mouse Magazine debuted January 1933
Version Two, 1933-1935
- Creator: Kay Kaman & Hal Horne, editor
- What: Free Promotional Giveaway
- When: September 1933 - October 1935
- Number of Issues: 24
Hal Horne from United Artists was brought on as editor and the catalog continued in its "freebie" form, with a shift toward local dairies. Presumably, the catalog was distributed along with milk deliveries, but I am not sure. (If anyone knows - please comment!)
Version Three, 1935-1940
- Creators: Kay Kaman & Hal Horne, Disney Enterprises
- What: Newsstand Magazine
- When: 1935 - 1940
- Number of Issues:
The third iteration of Mickey Mouse Magazine contained a more robust content offering including comic panels, poetry & stories - all of which promoted Disney products.
This version hit a rough patch financially in the first year, and Horne handed over the reigns to Kamen who took the magazine forward from there. In 1937, Kamen looked for a partner and landed on Western Printing and Lithographing Company which provided the budget to develop the magazine further.
Version Four - Re-branded as Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
- Creators:
- What: Comic Book
- When: started in 1940
- Number of Issues:
While a separate publication from Mickey Mouse Magazine, Walt Disney's Comics and Stories came to be as as direct result of the evolution of its predecessor.
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories was on of the most successful and longest running comic books ever created.