Messing with a beloved cultural icon can be risky business, especially when there are people who still love that icon.

It has become no small secret that Disney is doing just that, giving Mickey Mouse a modern makeover of equal parts mirth and mischief, and for many, the change has been welcomed. Of course, those who have welcomed it are also perhaps not what one might have called Mickey fans to start with; they might have enjoyed the mouse and his friends growing up, or might remember some of his more adventurous escapades through comic books and video games, perhaps even some older cartoons.

But for the contemporary face of the Disney company? Not so much. To them, one might even argue that the mouse may not even exist, at least not as a character for anyone over the age of seven.

That isn't to say Mickey Mouse still doesn't have his fans, however. And those fans seem to be convinced that the company's mascot makeover is going to ruin the rodent they have come to know and love.

While the more rambunctious rodent might be truer to his earliest animated origins, fans who might not frequent video game websites as much have made their opinions known in the comments at MSN Money's article which discusses the game. GoNintendo notes that they seem to have latched on to the piece's title, "Mickey Mouse gets a face-lift: Disney's updated character will have an edge in the new video game 'Epic Mickey.'" and nothing else. Hmm, seems familiar, somehow.

Some of GoNintendo's favorites:

Mickey Mouse is an icon of fun and fantasy...to make him "edgy" by the Walt Disney Company is degrading to their image as a family friendly company...in the long run, this could alienate many Disney followers who spend money for their films, DVD's and theme parks. This may backfire bigtime!!

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What a joke! lol Now Mickey is going to be evil? The world is once again turning to ****!

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Why does everything nowadays have to be angry? From rap music to video games and now this, why is happy considered a bad thing? We need to laugh more, not less.

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Great - a menacing Mickey Mouse. Hey money talks, let's wait and see what happens. Betcha this gets dropped like a hot potato when it gets additional pub in the real world where the silent majority still have some morals and a lot more clout than 'gamers'.

Ooh, a cheap shot at gamers, what a surprise. Fortunately, there are some gamers who read the piece (perhaps thanks in part to GoNintendo) who have stood up for the hobby and its participants.

Some others:

Leave Mickey Alone....He looks demonic if this is his spirit we have enough daunting spirits already and the creators have tunnel vision

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Seems to me the Disney folks might have watched the South Park purity ring episode and thought, "Yes! That's what we want Mickey Mouse to be!"

And my personal favorite (from the first page, anyway), which reveals the ignorance found in not reading the article and not knowing any better:

Make the good Bad....Seems like its the way of the world any more> I will watch the CLASSIC Micky on You tube with my Granddaughter!
Goodness knows we need some Goodness in the world!!

Not that I have anything against "goodness" in the world, but a) she couldn't even spell "Mickey" correctly, and b) as noted, "classic" (or rather, "CLASSIC") Mickey is... well, what the "new" version is based on.

Since Disney is quite interested in seeing how Epic Mickey turns out and may pursue taking this direction with him even further, it will be interesting in itself to see how others react to him... and how many blame us for "ruining" Mickey Mouse and taking him away from his roots.