Five Classic Series That Have Endured

Adventures of Tintin

Publishing History
In 1929, Belgian cartoonist Georges Rémi (who went by the nom de plume Hergé) created Tintin, an intrepid teenage reporter, and his white-haired fox terrier, Milou, for a Brussels newspaper. A year later the comic strips were collected in Tintin, Reporter, in the Land of the Soviets. Ensuing Tintin stories were collected in twenty-four albums. The English translations of Tintin were commissioned in 1958 by Methuen Children’s Books of London and sold in the United States by Golden Press.

On Shelves Now?
Atlantic Monthly Press partnered with Little, Brown and Company in the 1970s to re-publish the albums. They are currently being published by Little, Brown and Company through Hachette Book Group. When Hergé died in 1983, he forbade the production of any further Tintin books (though the last album, of an unfinished storyline, was published posthumously). The Hergé Foundation honors his edict, authorizing commercial use and adaptations of the work.

The Controversy
Hergé was criticized for using stereotypes and racist, misogynistic elements in his earlier strips; defenders point out that he was a product of his time. Because Tintin continued to be published during the German occupation of Belgium during WWII, Hergé was accused of collaboration.

Pop Culture Spinoffs
A movie, documentary, musical, and BBC radio adaptation have been made about Tintin and directors Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson have planned a series of Tintin movies for release in 2009 or 2010. This year would be Hergé’s 100th birthday, so European countries are celebrating with Tintin events and exhibitions.

Did You Know?
Hergé paid incredible attention to detail. Look close at the street scenes in The Blue Lotus—every Chinese character is accurate.