Tintin has been popular in Europe since his inception but to those across the pond little is known about this Belgium boy detective; so who is Tintin? Tintin is a young Belgian reporter who through heroic action solves mysteries that are presented at the start of each comic book. Tintin was first introduced to the world in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets. Created by George Remi the first adventure was released in a Belgium paper in 1929-1930.
Tintin and the Land of the Soviets was a political satire that poked fun at the Soviets claims to having a thriving economy and found an audience due to many people’s unease with the Soviet Empire. Remi himself had distrust for the Soviet Empire.
The Tintin comic series have an almost formulaic feel about it. Most of the books deal with Tintin having to solve a mystery of some kind whilst also having to write a story for his paper.
Tintin and the Black Island is a fine reference point on to understanding how Herge created such a succesful character. In The Black Island Tinitn sees a plane make an emergency landing and goes to try and help. Tintin tries to help the pilot but the pilot attempts to shoot him instead. Tintin then recovers in hospitable where he finds out that a similar plane crashed in a field in Sussex from the detectives Thompson and Thompson.
The logical step for Tintin is to now solve the mystery for himself. The adventure thus starts leading Tintin to be accused of assault and theft of a fellow passenger on a train journey and later kidnapped and forced to jump off a cliff (saved by his dog snowy before he is made too). The trail sends Tintin to an Island off Scotland where stories of a mythical beast that kills is said to live. Tintin discovers the Island to be the hideout of forgers and cleverly captures them and holds them till the police arrive.
Tintin is always able to solve the mysteries that are put before him although some are set over two books such as Destination Moon and Explorers on the Moon. The wierd happenstance in many Tintin albums is that you will see Tintin solve crimes but more often than not hand in a finished article. The end of the comic strips often sees him receiving a hero’s reception along with Captain Haddock and Snowy.
Tintin is a heroic young man but lacks the color of many of the other characters that appear in the comic books. Herge created a chararcter in Tintin with neutral attitudes which makes him easier to understand.
The plan is to release a Tintin movie trilogy with the first film to be released in 2010 which will lead to Tintin becoming even more popular. The Tintin movie will be directed by Steven Spielberg andto find out more please visit the website Le Tintin Movie.