Blistering Barnicles! It's Tintin

[Dark Party]

“My only international rival is Tintin. We are both little people who are not afraid of big ones.”
- Charles de Gaulle

All right, I'm ready for the murderous invective, but I love the Tintin books by Herge. I get great pleasure out of settling down with one of the 23 feature-length comic books starring the intrepid Belgian investigative reporter.

The Adventures of Tintin, believer it or not, have been translated in 58 languages and more than 200 million books have been sold. The books have been wildly influential in the popularization of graphic novels (and on popular culture – Chandler Bing, a character on Friends, for example, wears a Tintin t-shirt in one episode and pop artist Andy Warhol claimed that Herge was one of his main artistic influences).

Yet, Tintin remains outside of the mainstream in the United States – and gets ridiculed by many hardcore comic book fans.

It’s a shame. There are lots to enjoy in a typical Tintin adventure – slapstick comedy, puns and word play, plenty of action and mystery, as well as beautifully plotted narratives. Most of them come off like the Three Stooges, a Jimmy Stewart movie, and an Indiana Jones adventure rolled into one.

Not to mention that Herge’s ligne claire drawing style is magical in its vivid detail.

Herge was also liberal with the booze – both Snowy and Captain Haddock (Tintin’s seafaring sidekick) both have an affinity for whisky – namely the fictional Loch Lomand brand.

I'd be interested thoughts, feedback and other comments about Herge and Tintin.

[glue]

Do you know in which episode Chandler wears the shirt?

[Dark Party]

Do you know in which episode Chandler wears the shirt?

It was the episode where Chandler wears the Tintin shirt. Otherwise, I'm not sure.

[Jonathan Bogart]

All right, I'm ready for the murderous invective, but I love the Tintin books by Herge.
Murderous invective? If there's anyone who loves comics who doesn't also love Tintin, they're free to go ... do something anatomically unlikely.

And how is Tintin outside the mainstream in America? The books have been a constant bookstore and library presence for as long as I've been alive. It's not much discussed in the nerd kingdom that finds its spiritual home in the Direct Market, but the DM can go ... make that same attempt.

My personal favorite is The Castafiore Emerald, but that should come as no surprise to anyone on the Books board.

[Aaron King]

Tintin was the first comic I ever found in a library. This was probably... ten years ago or more.

[scratchie]

And how is Tintin outside the mainstream in America? The books have been a constant bookstore and library presence for as long as I've been alive. Well, just as a data point, I've always been aware of the books' existence, but as far as I know, I've never known anyone who ever read one. So just because they're in the bookstores and libraries doesn't mean he's any more mainstream than, say, Ibsen.

[Jonathan Bogart]

Well, just as a data point, I've always been aware of the books' existence, but as far as I know, I've never known anyone who ever read one. So just because they're in the bookstores and libraries doesn't mean he's any more mainstream than, say, Ibsen.
Books don't stay in bookstores for decades unless they sell. Ibsen is required reading for many people; Tintin is a common childhood experience.

I grew up with at least three friends (none of whom knew each other) who had substantial Tintin collections, so maybe my experience is skewed the other way.

[Hintermann]

I love Tintin and have all the stories published so far, including the very rare "Land of the Soviets" & "Tintin in the Congo". 'Soviets' was more of a satire and quite funny, but I did not like the Congo story because of the immaturity of the script. I think Herge and his character matured over the years and the post-war stories are much better. My favourite story is the Moon Adventure (over 2 issues) despite the occasional sag in the script.

Herge was probably hitting the skids by the late 60s; the pretty average "Tintin & the Picaros", the last complete story to be published, reflects it.

[Roquefort Raider]

Yes, "Picaros" was far too self-referential for my taste. And the unfinished next book, "Tintin et l'Alph-art", would actually have been pretty bad. (Hergé's script and layouts were published many years ago. That book reflected the author's interest in modern art, but it had a substandard plot... something quite surprising for Hergé).

Nevertheless, let it not be said that Hergé was anything less than a comic-book master. Tintin was in itself a work of art, and it inspired generations of cartoonists. Even now, after 40 years of reading the series, I laugh out loud at Captain Haddock's and Professor Calculus' friendly exasperation with each other.

For those interested, a graphic novel-biography of Hergé (http://www.fnac.com/Shelf/article.asp?PRID=775625) was published a few years ago; its art style is of course imitating that of the master himself. It is quite a good book, especially since it shows the warts along with the rest.

[Graham Vingoe]

My main exposure to Tintin comes more from the tv series than the original material but I've had my own copy of the Shooting Star for years. I've always MEANT to pick up more titles but shamefully have never got round to it.
If it's an indication of the mainstream success of the series, I live in a smallish town in a rural part of South West England. If I want to read, say Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Library I'd have to order it in especially from elsewhere.But our library has ALL the Tintin books in stock including the Land of the Soviets AND the Jo,Zette and Jocko books as well.
I find that quite interesting and says a lot for the appeal of the character.

[Hintermann]

The Tintin stories in general and the character in particular were still developing in the first few adventures. It may just be coincidence, but I think Tintin reached his peak with the arrival of Captain Haddock in "Crab with the Golden Claws" and this level was maintained until and including the excellent "Tintin in Tibet". Cracks began to appear with "The Castafiore Emerald" & widened with "Flight 714" and "......Picaros".

[Dark Party]

The character of Tintin is an interesting one -- he's actually quite mysterious (especially his background).

In a BBC article in 2005, journalist Andrew Walker called Tintin a character who is carried along by events rather than being an actual protagonist. “Tintin’s apparently neutral manner – which has been criticized for being bland – acts as the perfect foil for the pomposity, foolishness and evil which surrounds him,” Walker wrote. He also called Tintin Europe’s answer to Mickey Mouse – which I think is a hideous comparison.

[Hintermann]

In a BBC article in 2005, journalist Andrew Walker called Tintin a character who is carried along by events rather than being an actual protagonist. “Tintin’s apparently neutral manner – which has been criticized for being bland – acts as the perfect foil for the pomposity, foolishness and evil which surrounds him,” Walker wrote. He also called Tintin Europe’s answer to Mickey Mouse – which I think is a hideous comparison.

That is the most idiotic comparison that I ever come across by a (so-called) critic. Some people are so full of themselves that they expect any nonsense sprouted out by them to be accepted as gospel. What is the BBC doing with a fool like this Walker?

[Jonathan Bogart]

That is the most idiotic comparison that I ever come across by a (so-called) critic. Some people are so full of themselves that they expect any nonsense sprouted out by them to be accepted as gospel. What is the BBC doing with a fool like this Walker?
The comparison makes perfect sense to me. But then I've read Floyd Gottfredson's masterful Mickey Mouse comic strip.

[scratchie]

Lord, don't let this turn into another Herge/Floyd Gottfredson flame war! It's gettin' like Newsarama around here.

[Dark Party]

The comparison makes perfect sense to me. But then I've read Floyd Gottfredson's masterful Mickey Mouse comic strip.

Can you explain? I don't see it.

[Aaron Kashtan]

Lord, don't let this turn into another Herge/Floyd Gottfredson flame war! It's gettin' like Newsarama around here.

The only thing that's worse is an Aragones/Edgar-Pierre Jacobs flamewar.

(I hope someone will recognize the reference.)

[benday-dot]

Has anyone here read or otherwise familiar with Michael Farr's Tintin: The Complete Companion? I'm eager to check it out to see if it will add any enjoyment to my own budding Tintin enthusiasm. Its not in stock at my lcs, but I am considering ordering it; it is rather inexpensive. I know sometimes these expository books are weak and far too breezy efforts, sort of like an encylopedia that holds the incipient promise of having all the answers, but in time of need only seems to disappoint. This book appears to have some biographical/sociological elements to it that may or may not make it worthwhile. I'd love to hear if anyone has a good or bad word to share regarding secondary volume to the great world of Tintin. It certainly is reviewed well on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0867199016/ref=wl_it_dp/702-7382610-2175259?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3NVU1Z0RE08YD&colid=36V3HXD9GSRJ6

PS... if posting this link to a commercial site is a no no then I apologize. I do so simply to specify the book in question.

[Dark Party]

You guys might find this interesting -- it's an interview I did with Irene Mar, the head of the Tintinologist (www.tintinologist.org), the largest Tintin fan site on the Web, back in August.

DaRK PaRTY: You run a Web site called Tintinologist (www.tintinologist.org). Dedicated to the comic book character Tintin. But before we get into that tell DaRK PaRTY readers how you were first introduced to Tintin. Was it love at first read?

Irene Mar: It was love at first sight: my love affair with Tintin began when I was a school child living in Africa, back in the early 80s. At a garage sale one day, I spotted a copy of “Tintin in Congo”— in the original Dutch. The book was different from all the comic books I had been exposed to, namely pocket-size Japanese manga (comics) and American superhero comics in low quality newsprint; the full color, hardcover Tintin tome was --luxurious! My parents bought me the book. I could not read Dutch, but the pictures alone told the story well enough. I was hooked.

DP: Tintin is often called bland and the BBC once said Tintin is carried along by events rather than a real protagonist. Is this a fair assessment of Herge's cow-licked hero? What's your impression of Tintin's character?

Irene: I think Tintin’s character is as bland or as interesting as one’s imagination makes him. That Herge revealed little about Tintin as a person may or may not be a sign of weakness on his part as a writer (in that he had under-developed his characters) because, whether unwittingly or by design, Tintin’s lack of many defined characteristics has made it possible for his readers to use their imagination to give the cow-licked hero his personality.

Today, more than twenty years after Herge’s death, Tintin fans have not stopped sharing, debating their interpretations of Tintin as a person—his background, his name, his age, his religion, and so on. Had Herge pre-defined everything there was to know about his quiff-haired hero, Tintin might have turned out well-formed, but would he have been as popular, interesting and long-lived? For me, the characters have not been the main attraction of the Tintin series, but more so the art work and the thrilling adventures.

DP: The Tintin adventures are filled with colorful characters. Who is your favorite supporting character and why? Which character do you dislike and why?

Irene: I do not have a particular favorite supporting character, nor do I have a least favorite; each character, however minor, plays his part in adding substance to the stories--it is the overall work that I tend to focus on. Nevertheless, if I must pick a favorite from the supporting cast, I will pick the near-deaf Professor Calculus who reminds me of my late grandfather - another "old-school" scientist who lived in his own world.

As to a least favorite character, at the risk of being stoned by my fellow Tintin fans, I confess that I sometimes find Captain Haddock’s complaining and bumbling a little over the top – only sometimes! Perhaps the real reason for my "occasional" dislike for Haddock is that I see some of my own weaknesses in him.

DP: The last Tintin book was published in 1979 -- before there was any such thing as the Internet. Yet 30 years later, the Tintin books remain popular and you've help create a Web site about all things Tintin. How did you get involved in the site and what kind of people do you find there?

Irene: (The last Tintin album, Tintin and Alph-Art, was published in English, in 1990.) I was invited to co-manage The Cult of Tintin by the then Webmaster, Jesper Juehne, in 1998, along with Morten Christensen. The invitation came after Juehne had heard about my intention to start my own tribute to Herge. He felt it would make more sense to combine our efforts to produce one great Tintin community rather having two good competing communities.

By 2000, we had established ourselves as a major Tintin fan resource and community. But a cease and desist letter from Moulinsart (the owners of Tintin) came, which forced my partners and me to decide to take our project offline for re-development. A year later Juehne and Christensen decided to retire, and so I was handed the baton. It took me another a year to re-design the site to comply with Moulinsart’s strict requirements; it was also during this re-design phase I changed our domain name to avoid potential disputes.

Today I am assisted by a wonderful team of volunteers from Australia, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, and the UK; and Tintin fans outside the team have also been very generous with their time and knowledge. Through my involvement with the site and discussion lists, I have made contacts from all around the world – from Iceland to New Zealand – and from all walks of life; and over the years, some contacts have become good friends.

DP: If you had to choose one Tintin adventure to give to someone who has never read any of the books -- which one would you pick and why?

Irene: My choice would vary depending on the person I am considering giving the gift to, but my usual choice would be either The Calculus Affair or The Blue Lotus.

The Calculus Affair is, in my view, the work that consolidates all of Herge's skills in drawing and in story-telling. My other choice, The Blue Lotus, is commonly regarded Herge’s first masterpiece; and the story being based on actual events has extra educational merit.

[Hintermann]

Has anyone here read or otherwise familiar with Michael Farr's Tintin: The Complete Companion? I'm eager to check it out to see if it will add any enjoyment to my own budding Tintin enthusiasm.

I have heard about it and considered getting it for a while. Now that you mention it, maybe I will. It seems like an interesting review and as you say, it is relatively inexpensive for a one off publication.

[Jonathan Bogart]

For being supposedly the biggest Tintin fan on the Internet, she doesn't seem to know that it was originally written in French, not Dutch. Georges Remi was a francophone Belgian.

Anyway, the Tintin/Mickey Mouse comparison is just that both Tintin and Mickey Mouse were cartoon characters who started out having fairly simplistic adventures and eventually had commercial empires (the U.S. animation industry; the European comics industry) built on their broad appeal. Tintin, at least for a while, had the commercial omnipresence of Mickey Mouse in Europe. Of course, Tintin is ultimately tied to the books, while Mickey Mouse has no fixed reference point like that for most people. (But the original cartoon shorts, and Gottfredson's strip, are some of the finest American popular art in existence.)

And yeah, Aaron, I got the reference. Or at least I remember an extended argument between admirers of Sergio Aragones and admirers of E. P. Jacobs; I can't remember if I was involved, but I would have been on the Aragones side if I was.

[Hintermann]

QUOTE=Jonathan Bogart Anyway, the Tintin/Mickey Mouse comparison is just that both Tintin and Mickey Mouse were cartoon characters who started out having fairly simplistic adventures and eventually had commercial empires (the U.S. animation industry; the European comics industry) built on their broad appeal.
But that principle can be applied to several other comic book characters. Some would argue that Asterix is bigger in Europe than Tintin. I see absolutely no resemblance between Tintin & Mickey Mouse even though I have beed reading both comics for almost 40 years other than that they were popular and had pet dogs. looking for pseudo-similarities where none exist is nonsense.


Tintin, at least for a while, had the commercial omnipresence of Mickey Mouse in Europe. Of course, Tintin is ultimately tied to the books, while Mickey Mouse has no fixed reference point like that for most people.
Come to think of it, there may be some parallels between Asterix & Mickey Mouse, with each having a not-too bright sidekick (Obelix and Goofy) and taking on major adventures with comic interludes.


But the original cartoon shorts, and Gottfredson's strip, are some of the finest American popular art in existence.
That is a matter of opinion. Gottfriedson might have been considered great in his day, but almost all his stories have dated very badly today. Gladstone almost went out of business for the first time in the late 80s when their insistence in reprinting classic MM stories by Gottfiredson repeatedly flopped in the market. I know plenty of comic connoisseurs of my generation and older who are not so hot on Gottfriedson.

[shyguy]

Gottfredson's strip

Is this readily available in any format?

[Hintermann]

Is this readily available in any format?

During their tenure, Gladstone published most of Gottfiredson's long stories in comic book format. The might be available as back issues from E-bay, comic dealers or even Gemstone. Worth checking.

[Jonathan Bogart]

Is this readily available in any format?
The several months' worth reprinted in the Smithsonian Book of Newspaper Comics is what sold me on Gottfredson. (Out of print, but it should be in any library.)

Gladstone, as Hintermann notes, reprinted several storylines in an oversized-paperback format, but they also cropped the panels and added ugly gradient color to convert the newspaper strips to a comic-book format to match their Barks Duck reprints. Still, Disney will likely never reprint the strips in any ideal condition, so that's what we got. The "Monarch of Medioka" storyline is particularly good, especially if you know the operetta-type stories it's both emulating and satirizing.

[Hintermann]

Yes, Gottfriedson's "Monarch of Medioka" was his magnum opus and was published twice by Gladstone. One of these was as an outsize comic album, No:7 in the Giant Album series. Occasionally pops up on E-bay or elsewhere. It is loosely based on "The Prisoner of Zenda"

[shyguy]

Gladstone, as Hintermann notes, reprinted several storylines in an oversized-paperback format, but they also cropped the panels and added ugly gradient color to convert the newspaper strips to a comic-book format to match their Barks Duck reprints.

Yeesh! I'll try to track them down anyway; I'm intrigued. You'd think that, with all of the old comics readily available at the moment, there would always be good quality reproduction of Disney comics. I mean, we're not talking obscure characters here...

[cactusmaac]

I was a huge fan of Captain Haddock. I still say "Blistering barnacles" sometimes when I'm stuck in traffic and alone in the car.

[Hintermann]

I was a huge fan of Captain Haddock. I still say "Blistering barnacles" sometimes when I'm stuck in traffic and alone in the car.

That is just one of his many colourful expletives like "Thundering Typhoons!" "Duck-billed Platypus!", "Iconoclast!", "Carpet Seller!", "Hydrocarbon!" and once even "Vegetarian!" :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Roquefort Raider]

I have a dictionnary of Captain Haddock's expletives! (One of the cool derived products of the Tintin phenomenon).

There are so many great scenes involving the captain expressing his anger. Like the one in The Shooting Star where he dictates a telegram meant for a ship that faked a distress call: "Here, send the following telegram: polar ship AURORA to pseudo cargo JOHN KINGSBY... er... Shocked by unfair process... no, that's not strong enough... er... BANDITS! Yes, that's it. RENEGADES! TRAITORS! PILLBUGS! JUDAS! WRECKERS! MOUNTEBANKS! PAPUANS! CATECHRESES! MOUJIKS! Signed, Captain Haddock". And as Tintin pulls him away from the telegraphist, he turns and says "Oh, and add RHIZOPODES and ECTOPLASMS as well".


Great, great memories.

[Hintermann]

If I am not mistaken, "Red Sea Sharks" probably has more Haddock expletives than any other story.:)

[Roquefort Raider]

If I am not mistaken, "Red Sea Sharks" probably has more Haddock expletives than any other story.:)

It does. Especially in the scene where Haddock screams at a slaver boat that's moving away until it's out of range, and then picks up a megaphone to yell at it some more. Another hilarious Haddock moment!

[swinebread]

This is so weird! :D I just picked up a Tintin book today! I haven't bought a book in about (for myself) in more the 15-20 years. I've got about half of them. They're old beat up things from my childhood but I thought what the hay, I'll get today. It's King Ottokar's Sceptre. I'm about a fourth of the way into it already.
I got it because I am kinda’ interested in Eastern Europe right now.

[The Confessor]

I did not like the Congo story because of the immaturity of the script. I think Herge and his character matured over the years and the post-war stories are much better.

Well, I think a person's views on Tintin In The Congo probably depends on which version they're reading. I only own the version as it was originally published in 1930 which is pretty dire, with Tintin coming across like a bit of a blood thirsty and bigoted buffoon. But the book went through numerous revisions over the years as it was re-published. In fact a lot of it, if not all of it, was completely redrawn in the 1946 edition.

One of the things I dislike most about the book in it's original version is how Tintin seems intent on killing off every bit of wildlife he comes across. But if you compare the pages below, you'll see how Herge toned down the pointless slaughter of fauna in later editions of the story. I believe Herge himself stated in later years that he regretted having shown Tintin killing so many animals.

From the original black & white edition...

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2980/tintincongo01co5.jpg
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/3894/tintincongo02io2.jpg

And the same scene in a much later colour edition...

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/8829/tintincongo03sy1.jpg


Anyway, for the record, I love the Tintin books! I grew up reading them. My Mum used to read them when she was young and when I was around 8 years old and she saw I was beginning to read comics (Star Wars, Spider-Man, Superman etc) she got some of the Tintin books out of the library for me. And I haven't looked back since. I think if I had to pick favourites I’d go for The Secret Of The Unicorn/Red Rackham’s Treasure two parter, The Shooting Star and The Red Sea Sharks.

Tintin is awesome! I love the stories, the characters and of course Herge's amazing artwork and I still great a great amount of pleasure out of reading them now as an adult.


By the way, I’ve often wondered what the Tintin cartoon’s are like. Does anybody in here like them? Are they true to the books? Is the animation any good? As a big fan of the books, should I invest in a few DVDs of the cartoon?

[Roquefort Raider]

By the way, I’ve often wondered what the Tintin cartoon’s are like. Does anybody in here like them? Are they true to the books? Is the animation any good? As a big fan of the books, should I invest in a few DVDs of the cartoon?

No, I don't believe so (or at least don't invest too much). Although the cartoons stay more or less true to the books, they often add explanatory scenes that really undo Hergé's storytelling. (For example, a traitor might be revealed in the climactic scene of a book, but in the cartoon you will learn who he is almost right from the start).

One cartoon that was pretty good, though, was the 1969 Tintin et le temple du soleil (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065106/). It as aged, of course, but it was quite true to the spirit of the character.

The two live action Tintin movies are also pretty odd, but it's fun to see Captain Haddock in the flesh!

[Hintermann]

=The Confessor Well, I think a person's views on Tintin In The Congo probably depends on which version they're reading. I only own the version as it was originally published in 1930 which is pretty dire, with Tintin coming across like a bit of a blood thirsty and bigoted buffoon. But the book went through numerous revisions over the years as it was re-published. In fact a lot of it, if not all of it, was completely redrawn in the 1946 edition.
I have the 1946 colour verion of '....Congo'. While it it a slight improvement on the b/w original, I'm afraid Tintin still comes across as a "bloodthirsty buffoon" in it, full of the sort of colonial arrogance of the white man that was typical of the period. There is that disgusting scene where Tintin shoots down a harmless ape merely to acquire an ape costume!

Compare this attitude to that in later stories. I think it was in "The Calculus Affair" where Tintin, armed with a pistol, refuses to shoot a large dog that is attacking him.


By the way, I’ve often wondered what the Tintin cartoon’s are like. Does anybody in here like them? Are they true to the books? Is the animation any good? As a big fan of the books, should I invest in a few DVDs of the cartoon?
IMO, the TV cartoons of Tintin are quite poor. Although the animation is good, the action is often foreshortened to keep up with the TV restrictions and the sqeaky voiceovers carcaturise the characters. In some versions that I have seen (in the UK), Captain Haddock has an American accent!