Tintin, the popular boy reporter of the weekly children’s newspaper Le Petit Vingtieme, made his debut on January 10th, 1929, in the story of Tintin au Pays des Soviets ( Tintin in the Land of the Soviets ). More then 66 years later, Tintin, the great cartoon hero, is still captivating audiences around the world.
Tintin was created by the Belgian illustrator Herge ( in fact, the pen name of George Remi ), who realized the huge potential of a fast moving story with integrated text and drawing. In effect, Herge pioneered and developed the European comic strip, or la bande desinee , as we know it.
Later, as the serialized stories from Le Petit Vingtieme appeared, they were collated into book form. All the Tintin stories were extensively researched. Herge would immerse himself in press cuttings and information on the subject he was to tackle, and the region to which he was to dispatch Tintin. This quest for accuracy enhanced the adventures with local color and detail. For example, in The Blue Lotus, every street sign, wall hanging, and each Chinese character is correct because Herge consulted Chang Chon-Chen, a Chinese art student living in Brussels, as advisor on the adventure.
As well as being meticulously researched, the Tintin adventures also portrayed underlying political tensions which were apparent at the time Herge wrote them. King Ottokar’s Sceptre ( 1938 ) reflected the pre-war tensions in Europe. Destination Moon
(1950 ) was clearly based on the post-war German V-2 rocket, and The Calculus Affair
( 1954 ) was Herge’s comment on the Cold War.
Tintin has become an icon the world over. His human qualities are readily identified by all his readers. His lick of hair, pullover and knickerbockers make him easily recognizable and comfortably familiar in appearance.
Twenty-three Adventures of Tintin stories have been translated into 51 languages and published throughout the world. More than 200 million books have been sold, and in recent years, animated video episodes have introduced new generations of children to the wonders of Tintin. The Tintin books first appeared in English in Great Britain in 1958, and six titles were published briefly in the United States in 1959 and 1960, but it was not until 1974 to 1979 that English-language editions were consistently available in America.
When Herge died in 1983, at the age of 75, his passing was front-page news throughout the French-speaking world and he was eulogized in The London Times, as well as Le Monde. It was Herge’s wish that no new stories be created after his death. However, the vast legacy of his work that he left behind remains undiminished to this day.
