If one thinks of Belgium the first thing that comes across your mind will probably be waffles, beer and chocolat. However, we also have a very interresting cultural heritage: the most known are Margritte, Delvaux, Jacques Brel and … Tintin (Kuifje in Dutch). These comic books I’ve read since I was a young boy, and still, I enjoy reading them, in Dutch, French or in any language. These comic books have been translated and sold all over the world.
However, don’t confuse them with Manga or the American superhero comic books, Tintin is a lot more innocent and childish.
There’s a well documented website about Kuifje on http://www.kuifje.com were you get an introduction on the characters and the themes. “Tintin Au Pays des Soviets” or “Tintin in Africa” for example reflect the common thoughts on communism and colonialism. Both comic books were banned from sale in the USSR and Zaïre.
As a tribute to Tintin, a limited edition of Euro-coins with his picture on have been sold.
By: KabirT - 13th January 2004 at 18:50
yes i like reading Tintin as well. Happy 75th Tintin.:)
By: Snowman - 13th January 2004 at 16:18
Originally posted by Geforce
Funny you mentioned Rin Tin Tin, he has nothing to do with Tin Tin, but he’s the dog of Lucky Lucke, maybe an equally important comic book character. In Dutch Rin Tin Tin is translated into Rattaplan.
Eh? Rin-Tin-Tin was a dog in B&W Tv series of the 50s I think.
Rantanplan is the name of the dog in the Lucky Luke comics.
And what exactly are you trying to say with your signature quotation? What is it? Some youth thing?
By: Geforce - 12th January 2004 at 17:24
Don’t agree that the comic books are racist (Congo, not Soviet-Union), because at that time, they were just how the average Belgian thought of Africa. In fact that comic book was meant as a way to give a better image to the Congo: when Leopold II gave the Congo as a gift to the Belgian state, the country was in a mess, financially and thanks to Leopold’s “good intentions with the local people”. So the Belgian gov’t wanted to promote the Congo to attract new Belgians to live there and start rebuilding the country, which helped the local population. Before 1907 Congo was not a Belgian property, the king of the Congo just happened to be the same as ours. Hergé did a good thing to make the country a bit more “romantic” because people were influenced by it and moved to Africa, with a different mentality than in the late 19th century.
By: Arthur - 12th January 2004 at 10:32
I really like Tin Tin. I’ve got all albums, some actually twice or threefold as i also have a few interesting foreign-language albums (Russian, Chinese, Catalonean) and a few original black/white ones, as more albums (i believe up to Otokar’s Sceptre) were originally drawn in black and white. All except ‘Tintin in the country of the Soviets’ were then redrawn, the one being omitted was concidered not politically correct anymore… which, if you’ve read ‘Tintin in the Congo’ might be hard to imagine.
Hergé was definately an interesting character, and might well have been more of a far right-winged conservative catholic with fascist tendencies then he has suggested all of his post-WW2 life. Definately, up to ‘The Blue Lotus’ the Tintin albums are of a pretty xenophobic if not racist signature: the Soviets are ugly, dumb, backstabbing people, the Africans are ugly, dumb people, American Indians were vile, backstabbing, violent and unhospitable people, and in the original version of ‘The Pharao’s Cigars’ the evil shopkeepers and the even more evil businessman Rastapopoulos looks awkwardly Jewish.
Suffice to say that the Hergé heirs are a bunch of hypocritical ********s. The rights on everything Hergé drew are with them and kept with upmost stubbornness, as ‘the character died with it’s creator’. Which does not stop them to ask incredible prices for Tintin-gadgets.
Buy Tintin counterfeit!
By: Geforce - 12th January 2004 at 10:23
Originally posted by Ren Frew
My mate John was into Tintin books and I was into Asterix books. I just wonder where on earth all my Asterix books ended up ?
Friend of you probably asked, can I borrow them, and never returned it. Happens all the time, after all, it’s “just” a comic book.
By: Geforce - 12th January 2004 at 08:20
Herge was indeed a very interresting personality, more so than Tintin. He was accused of collaboration with the Germans after WWII, but was never found guilty. “Tintin in Tibet” was actually an album he wrote for a Chinese friend of him, Tchang, the same personality as in the comic book. Most people (including myself) find that the worst album, because there’s too much text in it. My favourites are still “Tintin in Africa” and “Men on the moon”.
Funny you mentioned Rin Tin Tin, he has nothing to do with Tin Tin, but he’s the dog of Lucky Lucke, maybe an equally important comic book character. In Dutch Rin Tin Tin is translated into Rattaplan.
Tintin/Kuifje, though the story’s were very simple, Herge spend much work on the technical details. The Rocket he constructed for example really worked … maybe we should have listened to him and 15 year before Armstrong there would be Belgians walking on the moon :p.
Apart from that, it’s also important to know Tintin is one of the few characters that doesn’t consider himself to be Flemish or Walloon (though he is from Brussels). In fact, he considers himself to be “European”. My favourite characters is Captain Haddock, the Whiskey-drinking friend of Tintin. He’s also a Honorary President of the Society of Sober Sailors!
How popular is Tintin or Belgian comics in general actually in the foreign country. Do you find them in your local newspaper agent or book store? Ever heard of Buck Danny, a Navy-pilot? Or Largo Winch, Soda or XIII?:D
By: atc pal - 12th January 2004 at 05:40
The album:
By: atc pal - 12th January 2004 at 05:33
The aircraft, cars, ships etc. in Tintin was always “correct”. And more so over the years.
Look out for a Danish documentary “Tintin og mig” (Tintin & moi”), 75 min., that should be released about now. Director, Anders Østergård.
It turns out that Hergé had a psychological crisis when he made “Tintin in Tibet”. Anyway one of my favourites.
Congratulations Tintin!
By: steve rowell - 12th January 2004 at 04:41
I was a big fan of Rin tin tin
By: Ren Frew - 11th January 2004 at 20:53
My mate John was into Tintin books and I was into Asterix books. I just wonder where on earth all my Asterix books ended up ?
By: Warhawk - 11th January 2004 at 20:29
When I was growing up I lived on a steady diet of Tintin and Asterix the Gaul. I still enjoy sitting down with both on occasion.
Happy 75 years Tintin:)
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January 11, 2004 at 7:23 pm