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This just in for the "Prominent Counterculture Design Co-Opted by Corporate America" file. Disney has designed a Mickey Mouse t-shirt inspired by the cover art from Joy Division's seminal 1979 album, Unknown Pleasures. Despite the obvious associations with the design, the kid-friendly conglomerate is not in violation of any copyright laws: the album's cover art is taken from the first-known radio pulsar photograph, taken from space in 1967. It's just a series of waveforms that can be used and revamped by anyone. Hence the name of the t-shirt: the "Waves Mickey Mouse tee." Because obviously, that's what people think of when they see this design: "Ah yes, the classic CP-1919 waveform." 

With this t-shirt given the green light, there is undoubtedly a post-punk floodgate that has been opened somewhere at Disney headquarters. What's to save New Order (the band started by remaining Joy Division members Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, and Peter Hook after Ian Curtis' suicide) from having Power, Corruption & Lies re-imagined as a slew of flowers in the shape of Donald Duck?

Seriously, though, how bizarre is it that Disney is now mining classic post-punk for t-shirt designs? I'd really love to see them tackle Bauhaus' In the Flat Field. Let's see them put Donald Duck on that. 

Commentarium (1 Comment)

Jan 24 12 - 3:28pm
GeeBee

The first radio pulsar was not measured from space. The telescope was quite firmly on the ground. Take my word for this; I know the woman (Jocelyn Bell Burnell) many consider to have been robbed of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery.