The Astounding Adventures of Tintin

51 Pages·2011·0.28 MB·English

by  Michael Cooper

The Astounding
Adventures of Tintin

by Michael Cooper

c.2011. Michael Cooper. All rights reserved.

Introduction
Tintin first appeared in 1929 (in Le Petit Vingtième, a children's supplement to
the Belgian newspaper Le XXe Siècle) and yet Hergé was still plotting new
Tintin adventures when he died in the 1980s. This enduring appeal proved
beyond doubt that Tintin was an iconic and mythic character, a friend to millions
of children in Europe and beyond. The stories centre around Tintin, a young
journalist who writes one article in his career (but a very long article, all the
same), and his dog, Snowy, who has a liking for Loch Lomond whiskey. The
books also feature Captain Archibald Haddock (a retired sea captain whose
vocabulary of insults and exclamations extends all the way from the docile
"pirate" to the slightly more obscure "carpet seller" to the sublime "vegetarian"),
Professor Cuthbert Calculus (a brilliant scientist and physician who is a "little
hard of hearing in one ear", which is a slight understatement), Thompson and
Thomson ("the world's greatest detectives", in some people's opinions, "the
biggest pair of nitwits ever", in others), and a whole host of other characters,
such as Bianca Castafiore, the unbearable opera singer, and the brilliant creation
that is Jolyon Wagg, of the "Rock Bottom Insurance Company".
The books' plots are basically Tintin fighting against criminals, kidnappers,
gangsters, counterfeiters, slave traders, drug dealers etc., but the greatest album
in the series, "Tintin in Tibet", features no villain whatsoever; just the mountains
of Tibet to overcome. The early Tintin books were full of crude propaganda
about the Colonial era and the Soviet Union. Hergé soon changed his stance and
distanced himself but when the Nazis occupied Belgium he produced, amongst
other more escapist and innocent books, The Shooting Star. In the original
version of The Shooting Star the baddies derived from the United States and
Tintin seemed to be on the side of the Axis. Even worse were the Jewish
caricatures, a crooked financier named Blumenstein in particular. Hergé's
defence is that he was under intense observation and supervision and merely
kept his head down and worked during this harrowing time. The art was
carefully controlled. "I worked, period; that's all. Just like a miner works, or a
streetcar ticket taker, or a baker." Later, in books like The Castafiore Emerald,
Hergé stood up for minorities and had Nazi type villains. He changed a lot over
the years, his political elements becoming more liberal and his disillusionment
with the Catholic church more prevalent. He became obsessed with eastern
philosophy and modern art (he was working on a never completed Tintin
adventure called Tintin and Alph-Art when he died). Hergé was happy to
deconstruct Tintin by the end. Despite the controversy, Tintin will live on
forever-whilst many book characters will be forgotten in a few years.
Long live Tintin and Snowy!

*
The Books:
Tintin in the Land of the Soviets

Year of Publication: 1929

Synopsis:
Young Belgian reporter Tintin travels to the Soviet Union to get a picture of life
inside that vast country. The Soviet authorities are soon on his trail as he
uncovers undemocratic elections and corruption by the political classes that
exploit the masses. Some very sticky situations entail as the boy reporter gathers
research and cliffhanger panels ensue...
Is It Any Good?:
Yes and no. The political elements are far too heavy handed and hysterical.
Hergé was lapse in his research and still heavily swayed by his right of centre
boss Abbé Norbert Wallez as he worked at Le Petit Vingtième - children's
supplement to the Belgian newspaper Le XXe Siècle. He compiled the book
from Moscow Unveiled by Joseph Douillet and later regretted the simplistic and
melodramatic nature of his subtext. The Soviet Union was hardly perfect but
even so a more subtle and layered approach was needed and this was apparently
beyond the young and heavily influenced artist/writer at the time. Hergé never
considered Tintin in the Land of the Soviets to be a true part of his series and
soon seemed to regret its existence. It is widely believed that he was most
concerned about his standing amongst left leaning contemporaries who had a
more romantic notion of Communism and Russia. The art is raw, rough and
ready but not without a charm of its own. Simple sketches and no colour but a
certain sense of character and momentum. The artist would soon improve
considerably. A minus at times but on the plus side Tintin in the Land of the
Soviets is brim full of invention and energy. Cartoon cliffhangers abound on
every page and the episodic nature of the book is a strength more than anything
as one is never too far away from another death defying incident. One wonders
what the book might have looked like in colour with the later art with the snow
bound panels and night scenes. A visual feast. There is much to enjoy despite the
crude politics and rudimentary art. Tintin faces a firing squad and turns into a
giant snowball et al. There are funny and delightful vignettes if one can get over
the art and the brusque commentary. Tintin in the Land of the Soviets is an
oddity in the Tintin universe but a fun one as far as oddities go.
Quote:
"The so-called wealth of the Soviet paradise!"

Verdict: 4/10
The book is fun but the art and politics are crude. Great ideas and invention but a
lack of polish badly hampers the volume.
*
Tintin in the Congo

Year of Publication: 1930

Synopsis:
Tintin heads for the Congo but as usual someone is out to stop him. He finds
himself a young guide and discovers a tribe known as the Babaorum. A witch
doctor named Muganga isn't too happy about Tintin's presence and the reporter
finds that danger is never too far away when one is in the jungle.
Is It any Good?:
No, not really. Hergé is an apologist for the Colonial era and Belgian rule in this
part of Africa. Once again he was working under the political direction of his
superior. The depiction of the Africans is patronising and the message of Tintin
in the Congo is clear. European Colonial rule is good and these poor savage
people could never survive without it. Everyone in Africa seems to be stupid and
backward, driven by superstition, easy to outwit and willing to believe anything.
Tintin is a missionary spreading European values and civilisation. These values
are of course highly questionable in retrospect. A product of the times in which
it was written but no less palatable all the same. The treatment of animals is
highly distasteful too. The art is improving and there are some nice panels of old
cars and jungle trees and clearings. Tintin in the Congo offers a degree of fun but
not an awful lot and what escapist pleasure there is unavoidably becomes
negated by the dreadfully dated and rather racist tenor of the book.
Quote:
"Talking monkey! Him eat Tintin!"
Verdict: 2/10.
One Tintin adventure that hasn't passed the test of time.
*
Tintin in America

Year of Publication: 1931

Synopsis:
Tintin takes a trip to Chicago and is kidnapped by Al Capone. Capone knows
about Tintin's exploits and plans to stop him from interfering in his affairs. The
trip to America is soon fraught with much danger as Tintin becomes a target for
another mobster and investigates the oil industry.
Is It Any Good?:
Yes, not bad. This is positive small step forward in terms of art and story telling.
There are Republic serial type cliffhangers with mincing machines, trains,
dynamite and more of a thoughtful political subtext with the treatment of Native
Indians addressed. The Indians are depicted in a simplistic and not completely
enlightened way but then Hergé seems entranced by the notion of the western -
his obvious frame of reference for this adventure. The book is still episodic but
the art and the situations conjured are enjoyable and often impressive. The book
has an exotic appeal since Tintin ends up among Red Indians and this lead to
some scenes reminiscent of Lucky Luke. It's sometimes exhilarating and well
crafted but Hergé has still not quite clicked into gear and got everything as
polished as it should be. A fun book but Tintin still has a few adventures tigo
before he truly hits his stride. The style of the drawing and storytelling are very
different to the US comics, where there is a hero with super powers and bulging
muscles. Tintin is a small-ish, skinny adolescent, with no super powers, but
overcomes any problem by using his brain. There are no "splash panels", as in
American comics (with the exception of four in "The Crab with the Golden
Claws"), and the text in the speech bubbles is easier to read, and is not as much
as a strain on the eyes as US ones are. The books are printed on much higher
quality paper than the newspaper-type paper they use for American "comic
books"- the actual name for Tintin's art form is "bande dessinnée", a Belgian
style, that was basically invented by Hergé. Tintin has often been described as
"the first Belgian abroad", which is essentially true. All other European comics
really gained inspiration from Tintin; none of them would have existed now if
Hergé hadn't tried something in 1929, that was, at that time, unseen in Europe.
Quote:
"Not one single day does he spend in Chicago. Ok?"

Verdict: 6/10
Tintin is getting better and better and this is a fun adventure full of promise for
the future.

*
Cigars of the Pharaoh

Year of Publication: 1934
Synopsis:
Tintin is on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean and meets the batty Egyptologist
Dr Sarcophagus. Sarcophagus has a papyrus said to be a key to finding the lost
tomb of the Pharaoh Kih-Oskh. Tintin joins the expedition - despite knowledge
that all who attempted this quest have vanished. As usual, villains are afoot and
ready to stop Tintin at all costs...
Is It Any Good?:
Yes. This is more frenetic than the previous books save for Tintin in the Land of
the Soviets but the art is much better than that first volume. We meet the
bumbling Scotland Yard detectives Thompson and Thomson for the first time
and Senhor Oliviera de Figueira, the thrifty Portuguese trader who can sell snow
to Eskimos. As if that wasn't enough, Tintin also meets his most famous foe
Rastapopoulos for the first time. Rastapopoulos is to Tintin what Blofeld is to
James Bond. The book is funny (Sarcophagus suffering the effects of Rajaijah
juice delivered by a poison dart and going completely doolally) and exciting and
atmospheric - in particular the panels on the Red Sea waters as Tintin and Dr
Sarcophagus find themselves floating there in coffins with sharks lurking around
them. Hergé's story telling is visibly improving here. The panels of underground
tombs are suitably atmospheric and detailed and the book is always compelling
and enjoyable. Definitely a leap forward again and an enjoyable adventure for
the most famous Belgian in the world.
Quote:
"For years I have read of your exploits!"

Verdict: 7/10
The best Tintin adventure yet and a great read.
*