The Origins of Tintin
This iconic character made his debut on January 10th 1929. Created by Belgian comic writer and artist Georges Prosper Remi, under the pen name Hergé, Tintin first appeared in the story “Tintin in the Land of the Soviets.” These adventures were produced until 1976, late into the author’s life, and were later adapted into a short-lived animated series in the early 1990s. In 2011 Steven Spielberg adapted several earlier tales within a spectacular 3D motion-capture film. Join WatchMojo.com as we explore the origins of Tintin.
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The Origins of Tintin
This adventure-seeking boy reporter has leapt from comics to the silver screen. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be exploring the origins of Tintin.
This iconic character made his debut on January 10th 1929. Created by Belgian comic writer and artist Georges Prosper Remi, under the pen name Hergé, Tintin first appeared in the book “Le Petit Vintieme.” Upon translation, this story became internationally titled as “Tintin in the Land of the Soviets.” These stories were produced until 1976, late into the author’s life, and were later adapted into a short-lived animated series in the early 1990s.
The inspiration for the character first came from the author’s younger brother Paul Remi, a career soldier who inherited the unappealing nickname Major “Tintin”, a word that literally means “nothing” in French. Interestingly, in response he had shaved his head to look much more menacing, which likewise inspired the look of Colonel Sponsz, the series’ monocle wearing villain.
Tintin was similarly inspired by real-life Danish boy Palle Huld, a 15 year old that had travelled around the world. However, Tintin was not the author’s first character to pay tribute to the real-life adventurer. This was a Boy Scout named Totor, the star of the comic series “The Adventures of Totor, Leader of the Cockchafer Patrol.” That series ran for three years until 1929, when Tintin embarked on his first landmark adventure.
Since then, Tintin has been regularly depicted as a young reporter drawn to perilous international intrigue in a realistic 20th Century setting, ranging from Russia’s Bolshevik uprising to 1969’s Moon landing.
In popular culture, Tintin is probably best known, and best recognized, for his unique spiked hairstyle, blue sweater and canine companion, a faithful fox terrier named Snowy. He likewise works alongside such notables as the grumpy Captain Haddock, the hearing-impaired Professor Calculus, and the incompetent detectives Thomson and Thompson (Originally known as Dupont and Dupond).
A well-rounded youth with uncompromising ideals and exceptional powers of deduction, Tintin has been regularly showcased as an extremely brave young man with an incredible streak of good luck. He similarly possesses several special skills. These range from the ability to speak several foreign languages, to being capable of driving various vehicles.
In spite of his young appearance, Tintin’s actual age has never been revealed. As a result, the characters that he interacts with treat him older than he looks, while he often visits bars and drinks alcohol.
Despite what has been shared with readers, the character remains heavily shrouded in mystery. This is due to his lack of a background story or family members. Even the meaning of his name remains vague, and is commonly believed to be a pseudonym designed to protect his identity. Amazingly, none of these omissions have ever detracted from his popularity, with readers filling in the gaps on their own.
The drawings were clean and expressive and the stories took place in exotic settings. However, some adventures were later accused of encouraging stereotypes and racism. Regardless, “The Adventures of Tintin” has become beloved for its many diverse characters, its use of slapstick humor, satire and real-life commentary. It has similarly drawn attention to itself through incorporating several genres within the narrative, ranging from mystery, to fantasy and even science fiction.
A comic-turned-animated-series, in 2011 Steven Spielberg adapted several earlier tales within a spectacular 3D motion-capture film, entitled “The Adventures of Tintin.” This not only re-introduced the iconic hero to an all-new generation, but also illustrated his ability spark the imagination of countless minds, several decades after his first appearance.
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