If you have heard of Walt Disney, then it's really impossible that you have never heard of Mickey Mouse. The iconic cartoon character is basically the animated spokesperson of the now huge cartoon studio and there is always great reason why Mickey Mouse is so popular. Sure, you may have your now recent favorites in shows like the Simpsons or South Park. But there is something about the charm of Mickey Mouse that will always lead you back to him and the Mickey Mouse franchise as well. Here are a few reasons why people have come to know the character so well.

• He's International – Did you know that Mickey Mouse is probably the first animated cartoon character that came to be recognized worldwide in as early as the 1920s? It was in 1928 that the cartoon mouse hit the big screen and it was also Mickey Mouse who was one of the first to be ever viewed in sound because at that time, silent films were still pretty big in theaters. Upbeat and delightful, news spread about this cartoon character all over the world and the first cartoon he was ever in was the famous Steamboat Willy.

• He's for all ages – At the time that Disney introduced Mickey Mouse to the world, many animators were bent on trying out other methods that were geared towards an adult-only generation. They were experimenting on adult-themed cartoons, which was pretty advanced for the time but the public was not ready for that kind of animation. So when Disney introduced Mickey Mouse, people soon realized that he could be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, of all ages and sizes. The mouse instantly became an original and very enjoyable part of American (and soon international) culture.

• He's everywhere – Because of the international attention that Mickey Mouse was getting, it wasn't very long that people started to take advantage of the character and Walt Disney brands. Soon, there were all sorts of things sold with the image of Mickey Mouse, from lunch boxes to watches and clothing. His character was unforgettable. The character was also very flexible as Walt Disney started to write Mickey into cartoons as all sorts of characters. It wasn't very long that people started to see that Mickey could be anything they wanted him to be and this made him even more lovable and popular.

• He's timeless – You will still see Mickey Mouse in all sorts of merchandise and it's almost a century since he came into animation existence. From Disney World to the Mickey Mouse club that you have come to know and love on television, Mickey is a character who is not about to fade away with time. In fact, his popularity is even stronger now more than ever before. He brought the world through difficult times like the great Depression, and even a world war. So it won't be a surprise to see Mickey Mouse still raging through the years with the millions of fans he rightly deserves.