<|im_start|>user
Please summarize Micky Mouse's initial licensing and merchandising history

Context:
The comic strip Mickey Mouse debuted on January 13, 1930, in New York Daily Mirror and by 1931, the strip was published in 60 newspapers in the U.S., and in twenty other countries. After realizing releasing merchandise based on the characters would generate more revenue for the company, in New York, a man asked Walt for the license to put Mickey Mouse on writing tablets he was manufacturing for $300. Walt agreed and Mickey Mouse became the first licensed character. In 1933, Walt asked Kay Karmen, the owner of an Kansas City advertising firm, to run Disney's merchandising; Karmen agreed and transformed Disney's merchandising. Within a year, Kamen had 40 licenses for Mickey Mouse and within two years, had made $35 million worth of sales. In 1934, Walt said he made more money from the merchandising of Mickey Mouse than from the character's films.<|im_end|>
<|im_start|>assistant
The Mickey Mouse comic was first published on January 1930 in 60 newspapers in the U.S. and in 20 other countries. A man realized he could make more money by selling merchandise based on the characters from the comic and asked Walt for a license to put Mickey Mouse on his product. By 1934, Disney had 40 licenses for Mickey Mouse and by 1936, it had $35 million worth of sales, making more money from merchandising Mickey Mouse than from the character's films.<|im_end|>
