I discovered
Tintin at the local library when I was 10 years old and it was love at first read. Who was this earnest, young detective whose sidekick was a small and sassy dog named Snowy?
Georges Remi (1907-1983) also known as Herge, was a Belgian cartoon artist who created Tintin in 1929, the boy detective and a cast of characters. Captain Haddock is the wealthy, boozy, hot-headed sea captain who lives on the estate known as Marlinspike. Professor Calculus is the stereotypical, absent-minded, hard-of-hearing scientist. Thomson and Thompson (for whom the ‘80s band The Thompson Twins were named) are questionably identical, slap-stick detective clowns who almost never get it right.
There are many reasons why the Tintin comic books or graphic novels remain bestsellers and have been translated into 40 languages. First there is the drawing. Herge’s drawing style is spare and clean, and has a very northern European sense of design. Each panel of Herge’s graphic novels is a perfect, pleasing composition and his use of color is primary, bold and fun.
Another reason why Herge and Tintin remains popular is the fast-paced and imaginative storylines which take us to distant lands and introduce us to colorful locals, dictators, pirates, criminals and innocents.
Perhaps Tintin’s unique selling point is his strength of character and sense of humor. Tintin started out in the imagination of Herge as a kind of boyscout named Totor who never lost his moral compass and sense of doing the right thing. Tintin is charming in that he almost never loses his seemingly innate sense of politeness and fairness.
Recently, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings fame) announced that they have contracted to make 3 Tintin movies. The French also love Tintin and the Pompidou Center in Paris had a major Herge art exhibition in 2007. Some of the wonderful titles include: Tintin in Tibet, The Castafiore Emerald, The Seven Crystal Balls, Red Rackham’s Treasure, Land of Black Gold and Cigars of the Pharoah.
Want to buy Tintin merchandise? Consider yourself a Tintin expert or Tintinologist?
Georges Remi (1907-1983) also known as Herge, was a Belgian cartoon artist who created Tintin in 1929, the boy detective and a cast of characters. Captain Haddock is the wealthy, boozy, hot-headed sea captain who lives on the estate known as Marlinspike. Professor Calculus is the stereotypical, absent-minded, hard-of-hearing scientist. Thomson and Thompson (for whom the ‘80s band The Thompson Twins were named) are questionably identical, slap-stick detective clowns who almost never get it right.
There are many reasons why the Tintin comic books or graphic novels remain bestsellers and have been translated into 40 languages. First there is the drawing. Herge’s drawing style is spare and clean, and has a very northern European sense of design. Each panel of Herge’s graphic novels is a perfect, pleasing composition and his use of color is primary, bold and fun.
Another reason why Herge and Tintin remains popular is the fast-paced and imaginative storylines which take us to distant lands and introduce us to colorful locals, dictators, pirates, criminals and innocents.
Perhaps Tintin’s unique selling point is his strength of character and sense of humor. Tintin started out in the imagination of Herge as a kind of boyscout named Totor who never lost his moral compass and sense of doing the right thing. Tintin is charming in that he almost never loses his seemingly innate sense of politeness and fairness.
Recently, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings fame) announced that they have contracted to make 3 Tintin movies. The French also love Tintin and the Pompidou Center in Paris had a major Herge art exhibition in 2007. Some of the wonderful titles include: Tintin in Tibet, The Castafiore Emerald, The Seven Crystal Balls, Red Rackham’s Treasure, Land of Black Gold and Cigars of the Pharoah.
Want to buy Tintin merchandise? Consider yourself a Tintin expert or Tintinologist?
Tintin visited India twice. He spent few hours in Delhi street on his way to Tibet. Earlier he had crashed his plane into the jungles of a princely state. But, then, as you said, humor has been the most delectable flavour of Hergé's books. I would definitely like Tintin to be in our city, Kolkata, a City of Joy !
