The Disturbing History of the Beloved European Comic, Tintin

[@sayanroy1641]

I am an Indian subscriber, I live in West Bengal, for me and for a lot of Bengalis Tintin is an essential part of our childhood, it was my introduction to comic books and I grew up reading the Tintin comics in Bengali translation.

[@Lethargic_Logician]

Same is true for us in Bangladesh

[@sanmamiac]

And TinTin was translated in Bengali, directly from French...

[@harryrupam01]

Tintin and Satyajit Ray made our childhood wholesome for us bengalis.

[@PLAY-zb6sz]

So true..

[@dansheppard2965]

Same in the UK. Still the most popular books in the middle school library. Was the same in my dad's generation, in mine, and my son's! Pretty well known Herge was a dodgy geezer over here and a few titles have rightly been, cough, retired.

[@Nosferatu755]

When the first Indiana Jones was released in France and Belgium, they likened it to Tintin. That's how much of a cultural impact these comics have on European society

[@Gmackematix]

It's probably no coincidence. The creators of Indiana Jones were inspired by old cinema adventure serials of the 1920s and 1930s and I imagine Hergé was probably inspired by these in creating his adventures, or at least he was inspired by the same Boys Own adventures that inspired the serials.

[@MetalSonicBricks]

@@Gmackematix Also, Steven Spielberg is a massive TIntin fan. He eventually directed and produced the Tintin feature film in 2011.

[@SlapstickGenius23]

@@Gmackematix hah, the British Boys’ Story Papers and Picture Libraries deserve a shared spot in history for how quintessentially British they are!

[@dimitreze]

Tintin and Duck Tales were a great inspiration for Indiana Jones

[@SpaceCattttt]

@@MetalSonicBricks I'd rather say he tried to destroy Tintin with that film...

[@darraseric8457]

Hergé demanded that no other authors or artists continue the series after his death. His estate honoured that request. No new official Tintin comics by other artists have been published since his death. However a 2015 Dutch courtcase has stripped Hergé's heirs of some rights to the character. Hergé died in 1983 and Tintin magazine was discontinued in 1988.

[@ahok1937]

The issue with this is that the man who manage the Hergé estate is a businessman pretty well known for his shitty practice about copyright (even fanart is forbidden for the most part). The guy isn't even from Hergé family but married Hergé widow some years before her death to allegedly get all righs on Tintin.

[@revolvency]

so the magazine were based in Dutch? not Belgium? why the Dutch courtcase?

[@ferdylijftogt3880]

@@revolvency Moulinsart, the company that holds the rights to Tintin (or "Kuifje" in the Dutch speaking world), sued the Dutch fanclub for using images in their newsletter. The judge sided with the fanclub and actually said that the rights were with Casterman, the publisher and not Moulinsart.

[@revolvency]

@@ferdylijftogt3880 thanks 👍

[@HerculeDevantrien]

@@ahok1937 What's the guy's name? Just curious about it, Hergé's estate is famous for threatening anything resembling a Tintin tribute with lawsuits (including parodies, which are technically protected), but I've never heard about this specific person.

[@PKAnane]

I loved Tintin as a kid in Ghana. I noticed the depictions of Tintin in Congo. But I will never hold Herge to moral standards he failed. We are all deeply flawed. I can't wait to introduce my kids to Tintin.. amazing stories!!!

[@MeepMacArthur]

He didn't even want to do TIntin in the Congo but was forced by his boss he originally wanted to do American instead

[@dreamawake2670]

Yeah Africans are clearly hyper advanced and enriching every society they move to.

[@mikejones2681]

I think it’s quite admirable that Herge went back and updated his art to eliminate racist characters. It’s also quite brave that he resisted doing propaganda for the Nazi party, which would’ve been very easy in an occupied country. I think you are over-selling the “troubling“ aspect of this. I think Herge was in a tight spot and a changing culture and ultimately showed himself to be an honorable person.

[@NDHFilms]

Clearly Steven Spielberg had no issues with making a Tintin movie.

[@facespaz]

Possibly, I think it's a matter of acknowledging it was there too, but Chris did provide good context for the times. I do agree with your belief in Herge's character in later years, although I am biased as a lifelong Tintin fan (& struggling artist), I could see how Herge could have been "friendly" enough with his shady boss at the magazine just to get work. This wouldn't be a first for artists, how many great works of art were commissioned by the Medicis? To me, it's also telling he didn't contribute to the hate and propaganda (I'm sure he was asked to) by remaining politically neutral and providing some much needed escapism. I've personally turned down a hefty advance for an art partnership from someone who I thought wasn't a good person. I'm still poor and unknown, but I have my pride. Is that all I'll have in the end? Would getting success or influence through shady connections justify the means if you later use your finances for good? These are difficult questions.

[@Echo81Rumple83]

He was in a tight spot, no doubt. While my maternal grandfather essentially hid from the Nazis during WWII (he was contacted and asked to work for them as a botanist, but he refused on principal), Herge was somehow able to fool the Nazis into believing he was compliant and kept his integrity in tact and flexible to progressive change over the decades. It's a shame he was blacklisted, but considering how horrible the Holocaust was, I can understand they didn't want to take any chances. Makes me hope that, when we confront the renewed fascist movement in our respective countries, we're not that dickish over it, but it's wishful thinking on my part 😔

[@digitig]

Yes, it's good when someone acknowledges that they were wrong and have learned better. Interesting too that his later representations of east Asia avoided crass cultural stereotypes because he was getting his views from an actual Chinese person - an early case of an authenticity/sensitivity reader?

[@billywiththebulgingbaloonb5105]

And his sympathy for the occupied Chinese which was rare even for white anti-fascists at the time. Herge was a good guy.

[@blindcrow849]

I'm a Belgian suscriber and I got to say you just made one of the best review of Tintin I've seen in a while. You have done a great job objectively pointing the early comics racism and the questionable implication of Hergé during nazi occupation, while giving deep context around it. And also by describing the work and the distinctive style of Hergé so well. Very impressive.

[@PaulNtabuyeButera]

All he has to worry about now is that god damn "Tintinimaginatio" ( previosuly known as Moulinsart Corp) . 😏

[@mykas0]

You intrigued me. Did you ever considered these comics as racist in any way? I'm from Portugal, and I never did...

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

Only way this is "good" is that it exists, so even illiterates can find this info in video form... and be subjected to some ridiculous "current political climate" of your own. Like the joke of mocking Russians for NOT having functional colonies in the banana plantations completely going over your head. Instead, it is smoothed over with the usual "the older generations jsut didn't get it, man, they had patriarchy and stuff so they wouldn't bother to do research". Start everything with the progressive bias and go on from there, with a one-sided narrative always placing the current western bleeding hearts as the "correctors", of all the wrongs in the dustbin of history. Meanwhile the CORRECTION will be a bunch of Nestle and Apple forced labor around the world, in countries that actually do something productive, alongside bellyaching that if they ONLY practiced some more smug liberal grandstanding they could make all the world's problems disappear. Like all the excess food production in USA's controlled population could magically turn into erasing world hunger, rather than another lysenkoist nightmare if they tried accounting for it with raw numbers like that and "just grow bananas for everyone". What, like the child labor, that is left when everyone old enough LEAVES the platantion, and starts knocking at the door of illegal immigration. That's HOW we get that "we are able to feed 11 billion already" number. What is racist, is that next to crude drawings Americans are still offended by watermelons, chicken, and the DOMESTIC word for the practice of slavery, that doesn't dehumanize SLAVS. It "dehumanizes" everything named after the Latin root word for "black", so that entire section of the dictionary is BANNED. Stalin was more subtle than that. Being offended of drawings IS HORRENDOUSLY offensive MArie Antoinette grandstanding by rich US privilege groups.

[@celettu]

@@mykas0 As a Belgian, I've always considered them as obviously racist, but not maliciously so. As in, definitely not OK, but to be placed in context.

[@mykas0]

@@celettu , very good point. Of course they contain a bit of... let's say, strange things in them, things we wouldn't perhaps portray in the same way today, but don't see them as evily 'racist', just as a product of their time, as a recognition that things change, and that the "evil" aspect is not on the author himself, but in how we see his art. Anyway, thanks for the clarification!

[@SlashBeetlejuice]

Now that you've covered Tintin, do Asterix next.

[@AquaFan1998]

Yea i hope comic tropes does asterix

[@freddogrosso9835]

Lucky Luke after that.

[@Manganization]

Yes, please

[@grimreads]

I'll also ask for more Asterix.

[@pooddescrewch8718]

Never read Asterix .

[@lmcdasc]

Here in Canada, the book and comic racks in stores and libraries always had Asterix alongside Tin Tin, and often even overshadowing Hergé's boy adventurer. Would love to see an Asterix episode some day. Thanks for the show.

[@arx3516]

S.P.Q.R. Sono Pazzi Questi Romani!

[@lmcdasc]

@@arx3516 Ils sont fous, ces Romains !

[@Tehn00bA]

Same here in Brazil. Asterix, Tintin , Hagar and others were fairly popular. Ironically enough people here hate Mafalda because every grammar teacher puts a comic strip of her in tests. XD

[@tadpoleontheweb]

I live in Montreal, Canada and attended elementary school in French. So my earliest memories of comics were all Franco-Belgian titles like Tintin, Les Schtroumpfs (The Smurfs), Astérix, Spirou, Gaston Lagaffe and others. Unlike North American comics, European bédés (BDs aka bandes dessinées or drawn strips) were mostly self-contained stories in large hardcover albums as opposed to episodic issues, kind of like movies versus serials. I still collect Franco-Belgian comics, partly due to nostalgia, but mostly for the visual artwork and imaginative storytelling. I’d love to see more European content on the channel aside from the American and Asian works should Chris decide to explore even more bédés. Regardless, I love the channel. Keep it coming.

[@bobbyhulll8737]

Yes as a Canadian in Winnipeg I also remember seeing the Asterix Obelix comics and being totally enthralled . Couldn’t read all the French but I tried

[@tadpoleontheweb]

@@bobbyhulll8737 Thankfully, most of the popular titles have been translated into English, though these are usually done in the UK with its own linguistic particularities that might throw off some North Americans in minor instances. But they’re still good enough to open up these titles to English readers around the world.

[@marc-ericleblanc-seguin4514]

Je suis un Franco-Ontarien et depuis ma tendre enfance j’ai toujours adoré les bandes dessinées européennes. Savais-tu qu’il y a aussi des bandes dessinées canadiennes-françaises inspirées par les BDs de la France et la Belgique? Elles sont moins populaires et moins nombreuses mais je les aime quand même. / I am a Franco-Ontarian and since my early childhood I’ve always loved bandes dessinées. Did you know that there’s also French-Canadian bandes dessinées inspired by the Franco-Belgian BDs? They might not be as popular or numerous, but I still enjoyed reading them.

[@tadpoleontheweb]

@@marc-ericleblanc-seguin4514 Salut! Je ne suis pas trop familier avec les bédés canadiennes. What are some of the most popular Canadian BD-style titles you’ve read?

[@PathOfAvraham]

Tintin and Astérix seem to be staples of Canadian childhood no one real acknowledges.

[@williamblakehall5566]

Grew up on Tintin, so I always appreciate an American expert remembering and respecting him. I have to wonder a little if Herge had any political change of heart, because I notice that King Ottokar's Sceptre names a villain "Musstler" (not to be confused, I assume, with "Hitolini"), while in The Calculus Affair the sinister nation of Borduria identifies its politics as "Taschism." Was any of that Herge himself, I wonder, or perhaps more attributable to the British translators? This essay has been, despite the troubled history, a wonderful Sunday treat -- but first and above all, please do anything you can to take care of yourself, your schedule is honorable but you must always be your own top priority. Thank you!

[@hautakleightontam771]

In my opinion, Herge was arguably opposed to fascism as evidenced by his early denunciation of Nazi and Japanese imperialism, and already had progressive views even then due to influence from his foreign friends (e.g. 'The Blue Lotus' is incredibly sympathetic to China's plight under Japan's invasion and strongly condemns Sinophobia). Thus, his collaborationist work could be generously interpreted as an act of survival, albeit a craven one considering other artists simply ceased production. As to differences in translation, Marshal Kûrvi-Tasch's original French name is 'Plekszy-Gladz' (an even funnier pun), so 'Taschism' may be more linked to the English version. In any case, Borduria's autocracy is clearly meant to embody both the worst of Nazi brutality and Soviet cultism.

[@williamblakehall5566]

@@hautakleightontam771 What I find brilliant about the invention of "Kurvi-Tasch" is that the bumpers of Bordurian cars are fashioned to resemble huge curvy mustaches, and I wonder if that is meant to be a reference to Stalin.

[@hautakleightontam771]

@@williamblakehall5566 It's definitely a nod to him, considering how infamous Stalin's mustache was. Also, the title of 'Marshal' is evocative of Josip Broz Tito, the Communist dictator of Yugoslavia.

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

@Robbie H My cursory glance at your comment was all it took to see errors + dogwhistles. I hope others inclined to believe you double check that info. Also, I speak French & English & no, "libertine" is not what he was in either tongue. I suspect you had another word in mind.

[@loonytunescrazy]

@Robbie H Hitler and Mussolini were never communist

[@RickReasonnz]

The only comics I ever read as a kid were Asterix and Tintin books. Loved em all.

[@Udgrasil13]

My favorite European comic is probably "Blacksad". Maybe the greatest Art I have ever seen in comics. Also, a fantastic and nuance detective anthology series with an extremely likable protagonist, in a very unique setting.

[@hankscorpion9939]

True, the art in Blacksad is incredible! Such a masterpiece

[@revolvency]

blacksad is so goood, although it is certainly a gate to furry community lol

[@Udgrasil13]

@@revolvency Yeah, I can see that. Some of the "Ladies" are drawn...exciting XD But I would argue, that the ladies in Blacksad are wayyy more "humanly" drawn and not as animal-like as their male counterparts.

[@christianbjorck816]

Blueberry, Linda & Valentin, Thorgal and Asterix would like a word 🤣 Blacksad is okay, but feels a bit… American.

[@IronShaman81]

Oh yeah, Blacksad is amazing! That's my favorite European comic as well, bar none.

[@clarasundqvist6013]

As a Swede, good on your grandma for introducing you to Tintin! the comics are extremely popular here, there's a shop in Stockholm that's completely dedicated to Tintin (featuring other Belgian artworks too) and the Science Fiction Bookstore (a must see for all nerds visiting Stockholm) also contain a large collection of Tintin statuettes and books. Very good video too!

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

There's a Hergé/TinTin shop in London as well.

[@turtleanton6539]

Ja så äre

[@sisterlillybug3142]

I need to see these stores.

[@StudioPluche]

Worthy of note is that Hergé worked alone for a certain time, but soon had help redrawing published albums and making new ones. His best collaborator was one Bob De Moor, who was responsible for drawing houses, cars, planes and other objects of the kind. On the cover of Destination Moon, Hergé only drew the four characters while De Moor did everything else. In the late fifties, Hergé had an entire team of assistants helping him.

[@ThePongzilla]

I was introduced to TinTin from the cartoon show. Tintin in Tibet is probably my favorite of the comics. The Peter Jackson movie is really good and fun. I remember showing it to friends of my who had never heard of TinTin and they really enjoyed it for the adventure.

[@mmclaurin8035]

Still waiting on that sequel Spielberg. That first movie was fucking AMAZING. I got hooked on Tintin in middle school. My French teacher was Belgian, and had some collections of Tintin laying around. I was heavily into comics so I, being a massive nerd, gave them a shot. Even in a foreign language, I loved them. So she brought her entire collection and ove the course of 4 semesters, I eventually read them all.

[@rexharrison6827]

I wonder if that sequel's ever going to happen now. The original idea was that, as part of their collaboration, Spielberg would helm one movie and Peter Jackson would helm the other, with both directors in the Producer's chair and the bulk of production being handled by Weta Studios animation. It was dependent on both men's schedules and other commitments, which to date, don't appear to have been very coincident. So, it's a case of don't hold one's breath, but be happy if it suddenly appears. And Jackson is in need of something successful - it's been awhile since King Kong. He's becoming another George Lucas!

[@ronbo11]

@@rexharrison6827 I guess his projects like "The Beatles: Get Back" series (which was ultra-successful) and the documentary "They Shall Not Grow Old" kept him busy over the past few years. I would love to see a new Tintin adventure on the big screen.

[@rexharrison6827]

@@ronbo11 Oh yes, I forgot the documentaries. A lot of time and technical know-how required for those. Maybe the next two or three years might see an announcement.

[@baconsarny-geddon8298]

I had no idea of Herge's ugly politics (not that I was ever a HUGE Tintin fan. I had some books as a kid, and I liked Spielberg's movie adaptation a few years back). But although its interesting, it doesn't really bother me, either; I'm black, but I'd have no problem buying Tintin books for my daughter when she's old enough, even the unrevised version of the story set in Belgian Congo, with the very un-PC depiction of the locals (but when she's old enough, I'd fill her in about the legitimate horrors of the NON-fictional Belgian Congo). I don't think we're helping anyone, by trying to just erase ugly/uncomfortable aspects of the past. Or by imposing a simplistic "good people vs bad people" narrative on them, where anything touched by a "bad person" is forbidden and off-limits (or is assumed to make any fans/consumers "bad people" by association). History (and present-day) is FULL of questionable-to-awful people, who make good music, movies, books, comics, etc. And it's GOOD for kids to be exposed to different, even confrontingly-different world-views, to help them learn some critical thought; To not just swallow whatever narrative gets fed to them. If you ONLY allow kids to see 'ideologically-approved' media, you're teaching them to (1) unquestioningly accept everything they read/watch as "truth", by never exposing them to anything to make them question what they read. And (2) you're teaching them to be an ideologue, with a simplistic, one-sided, "MY team is always right" view of the world.

[@theMoporter]

I agree with your point on “good/bad people”, but we should extend it to their works, too. There is too often a false dichotomy set up that says you can’t acknowledge where a comic was just morally wrong without damning it to hell. There is no need for denialism or flimsy justifications, because we can only really appreciate art and history if we look at it without rose-tinted glasses and admit where they failed.

[@slifer875]

well i´ll be damn i wasnt expecting a comment with intelligence in this day and age but it is a welcome surprise. We must see history in its whole, including the bad stuff, if we eliminate media because of PC current ideologies we are no better than the church burning down the library of alexandria becuase of different views.

[@ramidarwish7171]

I believe that Tintin in the Congo is stopped from being published. I believe that Herge like most of European people back at the time was driven by narrow vision of occupation. And I also believe that he changed his views along with the rest of the world in through the 50s and the 70s. But that doesn't mean that I agree with his Congo comic.

[@MariaVosa]

Hergé grew a lot as a person after the War. He came to learn a lot more about the world and became less prejudiced. As Christ shows, he took it upon himself to correct many of his older, more racist drawings - at a time when a lot of comics were still very racist. It does not excuse his past, but it shows that people can become better, if they are open to it. And one thing he never did, despite working for a conservative paper during Nazi occupation - was to create stories that glorified fascism.

[@Alcofoamer]

@@MariaVosa The story of Tintin is a redemption arc for Herge. Herge was brought up in a far-right Catholic world and was a product of that. When he drew stuff like Tintin in the Congo, he really didn't know any better. But after meeting Chang, his views began to broaden and became more enlightened. Herge later went on renounce his first two albums as "embarrassments." Tintin in the Congo is very hard to find today and Land of the Soviets was out of print until 1999. Herge came from a questionable background, but went on to redeem himself, which is part of what I find so appealing about Tintin.

[@MarcelGomesPan]

I am Swedish and also read Tintin. Funny thing, i actually didn’t know a haddock was a fish until in my 30’s. To me it was simoly the name of the captain. In Sweden Snowy ( the dog ) retains his original name, Milou. Though i was a superhero freak, French and Belgian comics was a part of my childhood. Asterix being another obvious one as well as the mentioned Spirou, Iznogoud etc. 🇸🇪

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Dude, keep us posted on your condition and please take your time on these videos! They are quality works but are no where near as important as your health! Please take every chance you get into getting better! We care bro!❤

[@lucasmacleod8761]

What happened?

[@LowellLucasJr.]

@@lucasmacleod8761 watch the end of the video( during the credits). He explains his medical visit and what's been going on with his health plus the delay with his vids.

[@iosonotom1010]

​@@lucasmacleod8761a

[@iosonotom1010]

​@@LowellLucasJr.nn

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

Hey at least he's not a massive drunk anymore, I hope, he did say he's sober now at least. But yes, let's all hope he's able to get well soon.

[@winnerwatson1883]

If you haven't read it before, I would definitely recommend Blake and Mortimer by Edgar P. Jacobs, who was a close friend to Hergé.

[@skybite]

I Seen that cartoon

[@bluespaceman7937]

That's an interesting recommendation.

[@christophergodawski5663]

Another marvelous Edgar P. Jacobs album is the one-off 'Le rayon "U" / De "U" straal': Flash Gordon inspired Atompunk Sci-Fi.

[@gregorywatine]

Not only it is a really good comic books, but Edgar P Jacobs is a really good artist who worked on a lot of Tintin comic books. He starts on the rackam's treasure helping on the color, then on the evolution of the old Tintin, and then he had a good participation to the script of story like "the seven crystal balls" and the sequels. It is even funny to find Edgar appear in a lot of episodes like hergé himself (for exemple, he is the 14 mummy in the "cigars of the pharaoh")

[@hankscorpion9939]

I never knew he was involved in Tintin. Very happy to learn about that!

[@JohnLFjellstad]

I grew up reading Lucky Luke and Astrerix (besides the Americans comics). One comic I consider "European" even though it originated in the US, is the Phantom. It's case is similar to Miracleman/Marvelman. Since there weren't enough US produced material (and since the Phantom was popular enough to be bi-weekly), the Europeans produced a lot of comics with the character, and most of the back story were also produced in Europe (like how the different Phantoms died)

[@bahmat]

Despite the author's past, I will forever be grateful to Tintin comics for helping me learn and become fluent in English at a time when we always thought that the only way to learn was through diligent study and boring textbooks. Still read them today in my 40s.

[@napasenseigaming]

I’m 19 and I found tintin because teletoon a Canadian cartoon channel had a channel for retro cartoons once called teletoon retro that used to air a bunch of retro cartoons including the adventures of tintin cartoon years later and now I’ve found myself revisiting the series

[@hognatius_valentine9057]

Undoubtedly there are some unsavoury episodes in the history of Tintin, but I grew up with the books and at a time when some elements of the stories were updated to be in line with more modern sensibilities of the times. It’s good to highlight the reason of how Tintin came to be but the great thing is how it became so influential and universally loved because Hergé must have come to recognise that times had changed. The more he widened the appeal the more popular it became. A great video by the way.

[@awabooks9886]

Thanks Chris, I was introduced to Tintin around the same age, along with *Asterix the Gaul,* another great euro production 🤓. As you said, Tintin was a brilliant mix of adventure and comedy, with Snowy, Captain Haddock and the Thompson Twins rounding everything out. Good times 😌

[@bluespaceman7937]

Classic Asterix was really good back then!

[@awabooks9886]

@@bluespaceman7937 Absolutely was! I was introduced to American comics first* but Tintin & Asterix will always hold a special place in my 🧡 *Sub Mariner #2, "Cry Triton!" ...Amazing how that comic is still burned in, 50 years later 😏

[@pious83]

I remember seeing the cartoon repeated on TV in the 90's, as a kid. Then I began reading Tintin via the library in my school. The Calculus Affair is the only one I recall offhand. Although I did read several collected editions. I've been a fan of Tintin (and Spiro) ever since.

[@marcl2213]

Well researched video (true for the fact of the simplicity of Tintin’s face, Hergé wanted the reader to project himself in the comic character). I’ll add a few points that just comes to mind. In the 50’s Hergé founded the «Studios Hergé» where he could have a couple of collaborators to help him «remake» some of the older albums of Tintin. Everyone of his helpers had a speciality for drawing cars, streets, etc but Hergé was always the one doing the final drawings for the albums. Hergé fell in love with one of his colourist and divorced his wife and later, when Hergé died this woman remarried with a business man. He founded a company to managed the rights of Tintin’s image and reprint. Hergé didn’t want Tintin to be continued after his death, too bad because some characters in european comics are still being published even thou the original creator his dead. (for this fact I have to say some have more success than others) Personally even thou Hergé’s Tintin is very interesting and a comic success I was never really attracted to the character; I was more into Astérix who was sort of direct competitor of Tintin. But I have a lot of respect for Hergé’s work. P.S.: In one of the best biography on Hergé it is written that he didn’t really liked children...

[@careyatchison1348]

Herge didn't draw the strip alone. Once it had achieved some success, Herge had Bob DeMoor, Jacques Martin, Edgar Jacobs and Roger Leloup to help draw the adventures of Tintin.

[@shiwankhan9052]

Tintin is one of the truly great comic series of all time and it’s still as good today as it ever was. European comics these days not only crush US comics in terms of sales but in terms of creativity. American comics, especially superhero comics, are so stale and so bad frankly that they can’t compare to the quality of bande dessinée.

[@mayormccheese6171]

I think anyone trying to smear Herge as a Nazi is reaching and just being mischievous. What did people expect from him? That he bring a gun to work and start shooting up the place because Belgium has been occupied? It's very easy to judge 80 years later with the benefit of all the knowledge of WW2 we have now.

[@quantumvideoscz2052]

It isn't "mischievous", it's malicious and manipulative.

[@daniellof453]

Oh, this is just perfect timing. I work with the comic book festival here in stockholm, and last week. This year's theme was Belgium comics and the massive impact it has on the Swedish comic market, especially Tintin. Meeting the Belgium ambassador, he spoke as he remembered Tintin coming in magazine form.

[@ThW5]

Well, as that Tintin magazine era did not stop before 1988 or 1993 (depending on which side of the language border and the typical age of ambassadors) that's not a very remarkable feat of recollection.

[@NouveauArtPunk]

Quebecois subscriber, French speaker and bookseller here, just to let you know that this was a great video!

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Excellent video my friend! I'm a little surprised you didn't talk about the cartoon series It produced that could be seen on HBO and Nickelodeon, or the CG movie produced by both Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg! But I know, you had to talk about the history of Tin Tin as well as what the Creator was involved with. Im glad you did touch upon Herge' being the type that caters to making people happy- but not so much on how he feels indirect about it. From some of the intervuews i've read, whichever gives him the least amount of trouble is what he kinda caters or leans into. Despite this, i still love and enjoy his works! Thank you Comic Tropes!

[@fabianlucas5423]

I don't know why, but I loved it when you were going to talk about the appeal of the character and said "enjoy this part because later we are going to talk about the politics and that is uglier" . It made me smile and happy about be watching this video. I don't know why, basically a trigger warning made me feel good. Maybe it just felt honest and empathetic? I don't know. Weird! Anyway, loved this video in general. I could never make it through a couple of Tintin pages. I guess I grew up on american and argentinian comics where mostly there is a line between action and comedy: Like, action happens to "reallistically" drawn characters, and comedy happens to "cartoony" characters. And I find Tintin too cartoony to make me care about any danger he might be in. Any way. Have you ever read argentinian comics Isidoro or Patoruzu? How about Mafalda by my late compatriot Quino? I know they are mostly unknown in America but maybe you could find an angle to include them on a video! Good luck. Keep up the good work!

[@paullambert9720]

Well done approaching a difficult subject here, and being open and forthright with aspects of Herges background. Great KZbin series overall, enjoying very much here in the UK 👍

[@TimothyMReynolds]

Your work continues to shine. Thanks for another deep dive.

[@Udgrasil13]

Infotron returns. PRAISE THE SILVER SAVIOUR!!!

[@jdsantibanez]

I like Hermann comics, "Jeremiah" mostly. There is also a "Durango" spaghetti western by Yves Swolfs. It looks great.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Thank you for taking the time to talk about TIN TIN! A personal favorite of mine despite the controversy surrounding Herge'. Captain Haddock, Snowy, Professor Calculus, and of course Thompson and Thompson have been household Staples of mine despite it being considered obscure to my fellow comic fans but always welcomed to those who wish to know more!

[@soddof7972]

Tintin is one word

[@AllNoneBlakCox]

Im so happy you’ve been keeping infotron well fed 😊

[@sonnysumo8172]

More Bandes Dessinées content. You love to see it.

[@GuillaumeLevasseur]

As a French speaker from Quebec, Tintin is a corner stone of my childhood, I don’t remember when I was introduced to it, it feels like it has always been there. I read all the books many times (except the Alph-art), and as an adult, I rediscovered it again and found new appreciation in Herge’s art. For example, I realized how he meticulously designed cars, boats and planes. It’s very difficult for me to choose a favorite book but l’étoile mystérieuse, l’île noire and Tintin au Tibet are more personal and they have a special place in my heart.

[@finnj.harrison6139]

Chris this is one of your best “Oh Hi!” bits yet and that’s some stiff competition

[@bat2275]

I remember reading some of the Tintin adventures in serialized form in the late 1970s as a child. It was published one piece at a time in a kids magazine digest to which my mother had subscribed

[@FordFourD-aka-Ford4D]

The audio problems are following you!! The way the end theme music turned itself back up in volume and was competing with your serious and heartfelt message at the end *RIGHT* as you started talking about the previous audio problems was unintentionally hilarious. Sending you good vibes 🙏 ❤️

[@belgiumcomics2537]

OMG! I,ve waited so long for Comic Tropes to do a episode on TinTin. I,m so happy.

[@turtleboy1188]

So tintin is based

[@Dafoodmaster]

ja

[@1bytesnack369]

One of the first bande dessinée I've ever read was Coke en stock (the Red Sea Sharks). I've read all of Tintin's adventures many times and watched their tv cartoon serial adaptation a bunch too.

[@supernova1969]

I am an Iraqi subscriber and I admire your objectivity. I am grateful for all your work

[@R_pain]

As someone from belgium who grew up reading tintin I learned some new things I didn't know, great video.

[@Frank-Einstein-Madman]

It's just turned 10pm here in Australia, and I was just about to go to bed but a new video from Comic Tropes and on my favourite character TinTin is going to delay my sleep by at least 20 minutes! 😮

[@skeven0]

As a Belgian im glad you covered Tintin (or Kuifje as we in dutch speaking part of Belgium say to him). i loved reading them as a kid and watched the cartoons series on the TV (think of it like the like the X-men animated series from the 90s covering a comicbook storyline) edit a similiar piece of belgian comicbooks i would love to see is Lucky Luke by Morris

[@Eisenwulf666]

omg Lucky Luke is another absolutely great classic of comics, love it !

[@jedikye]

R r d. 😢

[@cypherian2]

I discovered Tin Tin through a display of Herge's work at my local library when I was in my early teens. I could not gain access to the whole series, but I greatly enjoyed the volumes I read! Thanks for doing this video! This was great peak behind the curtain on Herge's life and work.

[@Ivanskywaker]

Congrats on 200k subscribers, I have been following you since you were under 50k and I have always admired the work you put in each video. You are one of the best if not the best comic book related channel. If I may suggest a topic for a video, it would be the evolution of comic drawing styles through the decades, and how successful authors influence other authors and industry trends. For example (and simplifying a lot) Neal Adams to John Byrne to Jim Lee + manga to the basis of many of today authors, but at the same time Walt Simonson to Art Adams to Todd McFarlane and Rob Liefeld to Image Comics to post Comic Industry Implosion style with a lot of cartoonish exaggeration to try to survive till late 90´s then reset to more simple and less cartoonish style in the early 2000´s, and back to more stylize and natural design and the post Jim Lee influences and the such + Alex Ross style illustrators in the early 00´s to a second trend of manga influenced style in the 2010´s to a lot of realistic-stylized style today (don’t know how to call it) where authors are more realistic than ever but at the same time, put many stylized and a lot of cartoonish detailed in their work. Anyways, that is what I perceive but I may be wrong. Thanks for the great videos!

[@goodlookingcorpse]

Imagine making a film of Tintin and not copying the art style.

[@Drforrester31]

For some reason one line from the show has been burned into my memory from the first time I saw it, which is Captain Haddock and Tintin saying "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, Red Rackham's treasure here we come!"

[@FowCowMow]

You should be so proud of this channel. You've grown so much since I started watching you a couple years ago, both in channel size and in video quality.

[@jerazm]

Grew up on Tintin comics. Was waiting for this episode. Thank you for the excellent content.

[@KOTYAR0]

My laundry plant uses Belgian machinery, and it's slightly humorous for me every time I walk near 5 ton steam powered monstrosity with every label in Comic Sans on it 😁

[@Eisenwulf666]

Your grandmother family was from Sweden? I knew it! You look almost exactly like swedish friend of mine. I never realized it until now, it's uncanny.

[@LARKXHIN]

Oh wow a Tintin video! I enjoyed them so much as a kid. I should find some more. I always remember Destination Moon.

[@andrewanastasovski1609]

The Belgian colonization of Congo was notoriously evil. There's a good argument to be made that not criticizing them is a political position. Great video, overall.

[@a0me]

@ComicTropes Great video and I hope you can take the time you need to deal with your health. As for recommendations of European comics, here’s a list of some of my favorites European artists and graphic novels. I hope you can check them out (you’ve already mentioned some of them in your past videos) Jean Giraud/Moebius (Blueberry, Arzach, Airtight Garage, The Incal), Regis Loisel (The Quest For The Time Bird), Jean-Claude Mezieres (Valerian and Laureline), Claire Wendling (Lights of the Amalou), Juan Giménez (The Saga of The Meta-Barons), Enki Bilal (The Nikopol Trilogy), Hugo Pratt (Corto Maltese), Olivier Vatine (Aquablue), Jacques Tardi (Adele Blanc-Sec), Francois Schuiten (The Obscure Cities), Philippe Druillet (Lone Sloane), Milo Manara (The Voyage of G. Mastorna), Massimiliano Frezzato (Margot: Queen of the Night), Andre Franquin (Gaston Lagaffe, Idees Noires, Isabelle, Spirou & Fantasio), Lewis Trondheim (Little Nothings, Dungeons, Approximativement)

[@richardryley3660]

I first saw Tintin and the Cigars of the Pharaoh reprinted in an American magazine. I don't know which it was, but soon after I was introduced to Asterix by my seventh grade teacher and sought out both books. I built up quite a collection of both. I agree with all of your recommendations, especially The Calculus Affair which is probably my favorite. Red Rackham's Treasure of course is also extremely popular. Some of the racist clichés can be problematic, but this is the case for all literature of the time, including Disney, and at least Herge recognized that times changed and some of his art needed to be updated. I think he was curious and enthusiastic about other cultures and never meant any harm by his stories, he was just restricted by the wartime environment he found himself in. And at keast he was able to keep politics out of his comics of that time.

[@williamgeorge2580]

"I love Tintin. What's this one? Tintin in the Congo? Hmm.... HOLY FUCKSHIT!"

[@asaptenebrae2240]

I cant wait to hear your take on Incal or Chroniques de la Lune Noire 👍

[@bluespaceman7937]

I always heard a lot about Tintin growing up. I'm sad about only reading one or two of these comics as a kid, but I can appreciate learning more about them now.

[@oneidawolf776]

Honestly, I couldn't stand tintin as a kid but growing up in Canada, we got a TON of british media and were forced to grow up to it lol. The video was great though and the backstory was very fascinating to learn about.

[@roundabout468]

Congrats on 200k Chris!

[@lp-xl9ld]

When very young, there was a magazine called...I could be wrong about this, but I think it was "Children's Digest". I had a subscription for a couple years. They serialized some of the TinTin stories, which I read and liked. Never pursued the matter beyond that, but I did see some of the books at comic book stores in the 80s and 90s. Never knew the backstory, though.

[@herobot1]

Très bel épisode, Chris. Tintin fait parti de mon enfance, comme Lucky Luke et Asterix. Peut-être les Schtroumpfs éventuellement? Wonderful show, thank you for your hard work!

[@greygorygaming]

Just when I started reading Tintin comics. Well timed!

[@deadNightwatchman]

This is the best channel for comics lore! Will you make a video about Spirou sometime in the future?

[@Eisenwulf666]

It's regrettable that some of his early art was insensitive, but i think we should look at the time and at the newspaper he was publishing for. I really don't think it would have been published if the strips showed a realistic depiction of belgian Congo, because they wouldn't be "fun" and because it would go against the newspaper's agenda. TinTin is incredibly wholesome otherwise and genuinely fun. It also influenced many novelists, artists and even filmakers in Europe and the rest of the world. So damning all of his work would be a mistake, that's my opinion at least. Thank you for this wonderful video!

[@grantbaugh2773]

I don't think the intent is to damn his work, merely to highlight some of the issues. We can appreciate art while calling out the problematic elements it contains.

[@dalemuir1105]

Another great episode, Chris!

[@Darrell9000]

The fact that someone would write a book saying they were the inspiration for Tintin is a little nuts. I wasn't expecting that.

[@sergioruiz733]

Tintin was my first comic series that my brother had passed down to me and had me finish his collection, I remember my first story being The Red Sea Sharks and not understanding what Captain Haddock meant by the racial slur he called the cargo found on one of the ships and having my dad explain that these stories were written in a time that are from a different era that was rather prejudiced/racist. I mean I love Tintin and the Blue Lotus based on the historical reason for the Japanese invasion of China, but the racist characterization of the Asian populace was very obvious. My favourites honestly are King Ottokar's Scepter and The Calculus Affair. Tintin and the Picaros makes me laugh though as a Latino 🤣. The 90's TV show was a childhood favourite of mine.

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

Asterix and Tintin were always in our school library and basically every major bookshop in the country where i grew up in New Zealand. We read them over and over as kids. Finally managed to get all the volumes last year.

[@JamesLawner]

I read a good chunk of the Tintin comics back when the 2011 movie came out, but I haven’t read all of them (altho, I did read the last, unfinished story of his, but for me, I never got my hands on a “finished” copy of that story, so idk how common it is). I did enjoy reading the stories, but The Blue Lotus disturbed me because of this one character who was obsessed with wanting to behead people.

[@parachpbama4372]

I’m a huge Tintín fan. I think the historical background makes the comic so interesting!

[@gavillaescu]

I’m a huge spanish fan of all your content. I really think is one of the best channels on the topics. Yo know how sad was the notice of Carlos Pacheco’s passing away a few months back. He was a huge inspiration for a lot of the spanish artists drawing this days for the american an international market. A true pioneer, an awesome drawer and a great person. An episode based on him would be amazing!!! Love your work. All the best! PS you really should check “Iberia Inc”. Our first “real’team of super heroes invented by him

[@deathdoor]

I remember seeing arguments against publishing "censored" versions of old Tintin, but it was the author himself that made the changes.

[@Ayham4002]

Here in Iraq, Tintin's books are still being sold in Baghdad's old bookshop areas like in al-Mutanabbi Street which is filled with these. Growing up, my favorite Tintin story was always "Land of the Black Gold" because it always hit home and had a fun and respectful depiction of an Arabic Muslim country. Its also fun to know that Prince Abdullah in that book was based on King Faisal II who wore arab outfits when he was a child King!

[@KennyEspling]

You do good work, Chris. Keep it up. PS. This intro was one of your best.

[@barryvercueil2346]

Awesome video. I grew up reading Tin Tin here in South Africa. But I hadn't heard about the history of the author. Cheers.

[@denial987]

I understand how you are feeling and what you are going through, Chris. As a fellow sufferer of chronic pain (phantom pain in my right foot due to three toes being amputated), I understand.

[@Amphy002]

Thanks for another well researched and balanced video, about a tricky subject. I read the stories in the 1970s here in the UK - the TinTin books were the only comics permitted in our school library, being "respectable" hard covers, so they got a lot of attention. Anyway, hope your health issue is resolved.

[@andysmith3307]

Hats off to you sir! Tintin holds a very special place in my heart and this is by far the best, balanced account of Herge's work I have viewed or read. Thank you for doing him justice and not shying away from some of the uncomfortable truths. And, as someone who has been through a frozen shoulder before, I wish you all the best. I feel your pain!

[@davidkglevi]

I'm Swedish (born in -84) and Tintin has been a part of my life since I was around seven. Both the books, and the Swedish radio theatre versions released in the 70's and 80's, which were a gateway to the books for many Swedish children. A reader's tip! One of my favourites, and arguably the most comedic one is "The Castafiore emerald", which is sort of a classical farce. Hergé wrote it as a challenge to himself, to see if he could write a story where "nothing happens". (Essentially meaning no violence and no travels).

[@emmetttaylor1739]

I remember a TinTin cartoon on WGN 9 Chicago back in the late 1960ies. I like it back then

[@winnerwatson1883]

Oh boy... Can't wait for the Belgian Congo and National Socialist parts...

[@jdsantibanez]

What about the animated TV series and the Spielberg animated movie? You didn't even mention them, Chris. Greetings 😊

[@JohnWick-ls7yt]

I read TinTin comic books in Gujarati while growing up in Ahmedabad, India. I am incredibly thankful to Hergé for making my childhood memorable. I am 31 now, doing my surgical residency and still watch these episodes on my night calls to relax.

[@mark_beastpriest5539]

I love the Adventures of Tintin. I have the entire series. "Tintin in the Congo" was the most difficult one to find, spending a small fortune on a collector's hardcover edition. My favourite 5 Tintin adventures are "The Crab with the Golden Claws", "The Shooting Star", "The Secret of the Unicorn", "Red Rackham's Treasure" and "The Seven Crystal Balls". But I love them all.

[@Green-3c34y65vrbu]

love the video, i like that you touched on all aspects of the comic, the positives and the negatives, and the history of the creator. though, i can't stop myself from off-topically notice Devilman in the background of the video! if you ever cover it as a video, i'd click on it straight away lol, he's my fave superhero.

[@dav786]

I find it so fascinating that the stories are grounded in reality, yet are ok for kids to read. There are gunfights, swords, knifes, yet noone ever gets shot, no spill of blood. Can definetly feel the horror of nazi occupation in some of the works. Blue Lotus was the scariest book for me as a kid. Tintin and Asterix were a huge part of my childhood and I'm so glad we got them translated - i'm from Slovenia🇸🇮

[@demm9000]

Dude! Its hard to listen to you on the finale, because of the high volume of the music. 😢😢😢 Great video, love TinTin!

[@Ellohir]

I really liked this video! I'm spanish and grew up on Tintin, Asterix and Spirou and never thought they were anything more than adventure comics. But at the same time we also have to address the issue with Hergé and his past. I think the video did justice to both of those truths. Congrats!

[@dacedebeer2697]

I love it how you don't limit your appreciation of the art form to US comics and Anime. I lived in Belgium as a kid and was introduced to the world of european BDs there. I love it when you cover this stuff. This was a wonderful deep dive into Herge. Also, I have shoulder issues too, among others, and I hope you can get past this and reach full and pain free mobility as soon as possible. I have found with my many martial arts injuries, that while it hurts to move, it end up hurting more when I leave it alone. Working with light bands and strenghtening the muscles around the joint helps a lot. The Bioneer has a great video on bulletproofing your shoulders.

[@Keinish79]

I have read like one Tin-Tin comic, the father of a friend of mine had Asterix comics and 1Tin-Tin so whenever I had to wait for my friend at his place I would pick the comics and read them. In any case, Tin-Tin is one of those characters I always saw around but had just a working knowledge of. Hergé's style was supper appealing. Growing up in Chile though made his comics quite expensive compared to others (same goes for Asterix's). I guess I am lucky I could read those comics at all.

[@giacomodelrio5975]

Thank you man! Great video! My favorite TinTin book is called “Cigars of the Pharaoh” It’s the first one I ever read😊