Popeye, as introduced in 1929.
Photo: King Features
It’s January 1, which means that another batch of copyrights has expired and given the horror filmmakers of the world the opportunity to transform beloved old characters into potential new murderers. (We haven’t forgotten what they did to Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.) This year, the original versions of Popeye the Sailor and Tintin are among the characters entering the U.S. public domain. And some people have clearly been anticipating this moment: Jennifer Jenkins, the director of Duke’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain, told NPR last week that there are three Popeye slashers on the way. (Popeye the Slayer Man already put out a trailer last month.)
