The incredible story of Tintin
Tintin has been exploring the globe for 90 years.
He’s the young explorer and journalist who has travelled around the world and beyond to fight crime and solve mysteries. Since his first adventure was published 90 years ago, Tintin has become one of the best-loved comic book characters in Europe. With his faithful dog Snowy and closest friend Captain
Haddock, Tintin has entertained readers of all ages for decades.
Who is Tintin?
Who else can say they have been to China, the Middle East, the Moon, South America, the peaks of the Himalayan mountains and the bottom of the ocean? Tintin can. He was created by a writer and illustrator called Georges Rémi, who wrote using the name Hergé. He published his first comic strip at the age of 19 in 1925, and his work on Tintin began in 1929, when he wrote the character’s stories for a weekly section for young readers in a newspaper.
It wasn’t long before Hergé was putting comic strips together as full-length Tintin books. In 1958, the first English translation was printed, sparking wider interest. Despite his detailed illustrations,
Hergé never travelled to the countries Tintin visited before he wrote about them. In 1983, at the age of
75, Hergé died when he was only part of the way through his 24th Tintin story.
How is Tintin seen today?
Given that the stories are up to 90 years old, they are still remarkably popular. In particular, Hergé has been praised for writing action-packed stories that don’t rely on violence. However, there are some parts of the books that now seem very old-fashioned, outdated and, in some cases, inappropriate. Particularly in the earliest adventures, some illustrations and storylines now look racist (which means treating people of a different race unfairly or unkindly). The worst example of this is Tintin in the Congo, which also shows him shooting wild animals. Some people tried to have the book banned in Belgium in 2012, but judges said that it reflected attitudes among Belgians at the time it was written, so it shouldn’t be forbidden.
Tintin beyond the books
Hergé’s characters have ventured off the page many times. There have been radio shows, TV series, films and plays based on the comics. The most recent film, released in 2011 was based on
and The filmmakers say that there will be a sequel but it hasn’t yet appeared. Fans can also find out more about Hergé and Tintin at a museum in Belgium. Musée Hergé contains original documents, illustrations, photos and other objects that tell the story of the artist and his creations.