Reanimating Mickey: The New York Times (registration required) examines the decline of Mickey Mouse who, at 75, is being described as "boring," "embalmed" and "irrelevant." Children's book author Maurice Sendak even calls him a "lifeless fat pig."

The ubiquitous Avi Arad notes, without a hint of irony, that indecision and uncertainty are largely to blame for the fading of corporate icons like Mickey Mouse:

"Companies at times let a character linger because they are not sure what to do with it and fear going the wrong way. So they do nothing. Mickey right now doesn't have a dialogue. He's not carrying any banners. Maybe right now he doesn't stand for anything but nostalgia. Nostalgia is fine, but it is not enough."

Art Spiegelman has his own take on jump-starting the mouse: ""How would I renovate Mickey for our times? Easy. Make him gay. He's half way there anyway. You keep the voice the same as it's been; beyond having him take a passionate interest in Broadway musicals and occasionally wearing pink shirts, you don't have to do much. You just have to change the world around him."

The Times also asked several artists to "reimagine" Mickey Mouse. So, Marvel editor Nick Lowe, along with Andy Kubert, Danny Miki and Frank D'Armata, turn in a Spandex-clad mouse (above) with a Captain America-esque shield.