The obvious reason is that TinTin was invented by a European - Hergé from Belgium - and that America has a habit of ignoring or at least not importing foreign stuff very often, especially when it did not originate from English speaking countries.
But not because they are dumb - just because they didn't have to; as you certainly know better than me, the US have a just as long record of producing a load of highly original and awesome fictional stuff by themselves. Especially in the decades between 1930 and 1960, when TinTin was "active", there was no need for a lot of cultural imports to the US,
The obvious reason is that TinTin was invented by a European - Hergé from Belgium - and that America has a habit of ignoring or at least not importing foreign stuff very often, especially when it did not originate from English speaking countries.
But not because they are dumb - just because they didn't have to; as you certainly know better than me, the US have a just as long record of producing a load of highly original and awesome fictional stuff by themselves. Especially in the decades between 1930 and 1960, when TinTin was "active", there was no need for a lot of cultural imports to the US, and as far a I know, the graphic novel market of the US was pretty much dominated by the rise of the super heroes from DC and Marvel at this time … no match with TinTin and his dog.
Hergé was also accused of being fond of or at least fascinated by National socialism - an entirely baseless accusation by the way -, which might have impeded the distribution and therefore success of his works abroad at the time of their creation, too (but I am just guessing here).
Another hero with the same fate in the US was Asterix - created in France, extremely popular in Europe, almost ignored in the US.
The really interesting aspect about TinTin in the context of the current movie is that this character historically is probably the closest relative to Indiana Jones ever. Time, settings and tendency to supernaturalism in which Tintin's adventures take place are strikingly similar, the only noticeable difference is that here we have a journalist instead of an archaeologist in the lead, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that TinTin heavily inspired Spielberg when he created Indiana Jones.
(And beware: just like Indiana Jones, TinTin is completely inappropriate for kids! Having said that, I just watched the movie yesterday night, and it's been one of the best adventure movies for a long time, certainly the most realistic CGI animated movie so far, the best 3D movie since Avatar … and Spielberg at maximum performance. Watch it!)
I have Tintin albums in Dutch, French and English and don’t see any issues in the translations. Hergé was quite in control of all translations. Except for the names and Haddocks fantastic swear words the text is exactly translated as it was in the French version. Each translator did its best to create a great Haddock vocabulary.
Billions of blue blistering barnacles
Duizend bommen en granaten (Dutch): thousand bombs and granates
Mille millions de mille milliards de mille sabords de tonnerre de Brest (French): a thousand million trillion thousand thundering ports of Brest
I have Tintin albums in Dutch, French and English and don’t see any issues in the translations. Hergé was quite in control of all translations. Except for the names and Haddocks fantastic swear words the text is exactly translated as it was in the French version. Each translator did its best to create a great Haddock vocabulary.
Billions of blue blistering barnacles
Duizend bommen en granaten (Dutch): thousand bombs and granates
Mille millions de mille milliards de mille sabords de tonnerre de Brest (French): a thousand million trillion thousand thundering ports of Brest
Where do I start?
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Where do I start?
I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.
Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:
Not having a separate high interest savings account
Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.
Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.
Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of the biggest mistakes and easiest ones to fix.
Overpaying on car insurance
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To find Tintin books in their original size in the US, you have several options:
- Online Retailers: Websites like Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble often have listings for Tintin books. Make sure to check the product descriptions for the original size editions.
- Comic Book Stores: Many independent comic book shops carry Tintin books. Call ahead to see if they have the specific editions you're looking for.
- Bookstores: Specialty bookstores that focus on graphic novels and comics may also stock Tintin books. Stores like Books-A-Million or local independent bookstores might have them.
- Library Sales: Chec
To find Tintin books in their original size in the US, you have several options:
- Online Retailers: Websites like Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble often have listings for Tintin books. Make sure to check the product descriptions for the original size editions.
- Comic Book Stores: Many independent comic book shops carry Tintin books. Call ahead to see if they have the specific editions you're looking for.
- Bookstores: Specialty bookstores that focus on graphic novels and comics may also stock Tintin books. Stores like Books-A-Million or local independent bookstores might have them.
- Library Sales: Check your local library for used book sales. Libraries often sell older or duplicate copies of popular books, including Tintin.
- Online Marketplaces: Sites like AbeBooks or Alibris specialize in used and rare books, where you might find original size editions.
- Tintin Collectors’ Websites: There are dedicated Tintin fan sites and collector forums where members may sell or trade books.
When searching, use terms like "Tintin original size" or "Tintin hardcover" to narrow down your results.
It's supposedly racist, but I've read it online and what I'm feeling is, people shouldn't expect chunks of History to be deleted because they're unpleasent. Nobody's denying the holocaust either, nor they shouldn't.
Tintin refers to the servants as "blacks". And that's it, he's not even unpolite, or unpleasent. It's something that used to happen before but not now, that's all.
But of course people would make a big deal out of it, so that's that! It's a shame, I enjoyed that comic...
Steven Spielberg combined three stories into his movie - The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure. He kept the characters same but changed their roles. Sadly the movie does not stay true to the original comic books. Here are a few of the major changes that Spielberg brought in :-
1) In the comics, Sakharine was not a villain and definitely not a descendant of Red Rackham.
2) The main antagonists in The Secret of The Unicorn were the Bird brothers. Spielberg eliminated those characters.
3) The movie ends with that incredible fight with cranes and swor
Steven Spielberg combined three stories into his movie - The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure. He kept the characters same but changed their roles. Sadly the movie does not stay true to the original comic books. Here are a few of the major changes that Spielberg brought in :-
1) In the comics, Sakharine was not a villain and definitely not a descendant of Red Rackham.
2) The main antagonists in The Secret of The Unicorn were the Bird brothers. Spielberg eliminated those characters.
3) The movie ends with that incredible fight with cranes and swords. That was not there in the comics.
4) In the comics, Ben Salaad was part of the opium trafficking ring. In the movie, he is not more than a nobody.
There are many more.
I won't say that the changes that Spielberg brought in were bad. It was a different angle to the stories altogether and the movie was very enjoyable.
I once met a man who drove a modest Toyota Corolla, wore beat-up sneakers, and looked like he’d lived the same way for decades. But what really caught my attention was when he casually mentioned he was retired at 45 with more money than he could ever spend. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do it?”
He smiled and said, “The secret to saving money is knowing where to look for the waste—and car insurance is one of the easiest places to start.”
He then walked me through a few strategies that I’d never thought of before. Here’s what I learned:
1. Make insurance companies fight for your business
Mos
I once met a man who drove a modest Toyota Corolla, wore beat-up sneakers, and looked like he’d lived the same way for decades. But what really caught my attention was when he casually mentioned he was retired at 45 with more money than he could ever spend. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do it?”
He smiled and said, “The secret to saving money is knowing where to look for the waste—and car insurance is one of the easiest places to start.”
He then walked me through a few strategies that I’d never thought of before. Here’s what I learned:
1. Make insurance companies fight for your business
Most people just stick with the same insurer year after year, but that’s what the companies are counting on. This guy used tools like Coverage.com to compare rates every time his policy came up for renewal. It only took him a few minutes, and he said he’d saved hundreds each year by letting insurers compete for his business.
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2. Take advantage of safe driver programs
He mentioned that some companies reward good drivers with significant discounts. By signing up for a program that tracked his driving habits for just a month, he qualified for a lower rate. “It’s like a test where you already know the answers,” he joked.
You can find a list of insurance companies offering safe driver discounts here and start saving on your next policy.
3. Bundle your policies
He bundled his auto insurance with his home insurance and saved big. “Most companies will give you a discount if you combine your policies with them. It’s easy money,” he explained. If you haven’t bundled yet, ask your insurer what discounts they offer—or look for new ones that do.
4. Drop coverage you don’t need
He also emphasized reassessing coverage every year. If your car isn’t worth much anymore, it might be time to drop collision or comprehensive coverage. “You shouldn’t be paying more to insure the car than it’s worth,” he said.
5. Look for hidden fees or overpriced add-ons
One of his final tips was to avoid extras like roadside assistance, which can often be purchased elsewhere for less. “It’s those little fees you don’t think about that add up,” he warned.
The Secret? Stop Overpaying
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This particular title (the second written by Herge in his Tintin series) shows the local black men in Congo repeatedly bowing at the feet of Tintin and other white men, leading to allegations that Herge portrayed black men as stupid and superstitious. The other thing that riles the sensibilities of people today is the alleged cruelty shown to animals. Tintin makes one animal (a leopard or a cheetah, after it accidentally swallows a piece of sponge) drink water, so that the sponge expands and causes much discomfort to the animal. The other instance is the indiscriminate display of hunting, part
This particular title (the second written by Herge in his Tintin series) shows the local black men in Congo repeatedly bowing at the feet of Tintin and other white men, leading to allegations that Herge portrayed black men as stupid and superstitious. The other thing that riles the sensibilities of people today is the alleged cruelty shown to animals. Tintin makes one animal (a leopard or a cheetah, after it accidentally swallows a piece of sponge) drink water, so that the sponge expands and causes much discomfort to the animal. The other instance is the indiscriminate display of hunting, particularly in one scene where Tintin ends up killing many deer and then dismisses the issue nonchalantly, an attitude that present-day wildlife campaigners would find offensive. The other thing is there is a sort-of patronising tone to the story, where the Belgian people are shown to be superior to the occupied Congolese. All of these factors would make reading the comic a disturbing experience for many people these days.
Depends on which Tintin books you are talking about and where you live.
A new copy of a soft-cover Tintin book sells in Belgium at around 7 euros, or 10 USD, including taxes. Hard covers are traditionally more expensive and would sell at around the 20 dollars mentioned, or indeed more. So, to answer the main question: that is about the correct current price for comic books in the genre.
Second-hand copies are a different matter entirely. You can find a decent late edition copy for as low as one euro at some thrift stores or flea markets. That would answer the additional question: look for those,
Depends on which Tintin books you are talking about and where you live.
A new copy of a soft-cover Tintin book sells in Belgium at around 7 euros, or 10 USD, including taxes. Hard covers are traditionally more expensive and would sell at around the 20 dollars mentioned, or indeed more. So, to answer the main question: that is about the correct current price for comic books in the genre.
Second-hand copies are a different matter entirely. You can find a decent late edition copy for as low as one euro at some thrift stores or flea markets. That would answer the additional question: look for those, or fairs or trading events where people tend to sell their old bric-a-brac.
Things change when you begin looking for the original French, and for older copies. A pivotal period for pricing is between the publication of Picaros in 1979, the last album to be finished, and the death of Hergé in 1983, when a lot of reprints of older work were made available (Soviets, Totor, Alph'Art, etc.)
The back of a Tintin book shows the other albums published at that time. If the cover shows Picaros but Soviets, it's probably from that period. If it doesn't show Picaros or older albums, you can more or less date the book's publication to the 50s or 60s (and expect it to become more expensive).
So, try second-hand book shops, or even the web (eBay) but make sure you're not paying too much. Only the oldest pre-war copies should sell for a lot of money (hundreds and thousands). If the book is a copy from the 90s or 2000s, you should be able to get it for considerably less than the retail price.
Finally, there is a great Tintin community and forum over at Tintinologist where you can have a look and find out what's available where.
My Review on “Tintin in Tibet.”
Tintin in Tibet is the story of Tintin rescuing his young Chinese friend Chang, first met in The Blue Lotus, from the Yeti after a plane crash in the Himalayas. It is my favorite Tintin. All the adventures of Tintin in digital format, © Hergé / Moulinsart 2021 - All rights reserved, A confirmation will be sent to this email. They meet with a sherpa named Tharkey, and accompanied by some porters, they trek from Nepal to the wreckage site in Tibet. “Tintin in Tibet” is the beginning of what I like to call the deconstruction of Tintin. Tintin in Tibet (1960) is a st
My Review on “Tintin in Tibet.”
Tintin in Tibet is the story of Tintin rescuing his young Chinese friend Chang, first met in The Blue Lotus, from the Yeti after a plane crash in the Himalayas. It is my favorite Tintin. All the adventures of Tintin in digital format, © Hergé / Moulinsart 2021 - All rights reserved, A confirmation will be sent to this email. They meet with a sherpa named Tharkey, and accompanied by some porters, they trek from Nepal to the wreckage site in Tibet. “Tintin in Tibet” is the beginning of what I like to call the deconstruction of Tintin. Tintin in Tibet (1960) is a story of pure friendship, without any of the usual villains: a tale of Tintin's desperate search to find his friend. His readings lead him to discover and learn about Taoism, Zen and Buddhism. Enter your email, you will receive a link to reset your password. It contains adventure, humor, and mystery; however, it is also about the human spirit, and compassion. Tintin in Tibet is a story of great bravery and hilarious comedy. Tintin learns that his friend Chang has been involved in a plane crash, and that there were no survivors. Most of the time it does not take long for Snowy to snap out of his indecisiveness, usually in the right direction. What does Tintin find engraved on a stone inside a cave near the site of the aeroplane crash? In Casterman’s opinion the illustration was too abstract for children and a risky bet commercially. Tintin in Tibet 1080pxCopyrights: An Ellipse Nelvana ProductionSubscribe to my channel for more such videos Blessed Lightning, a monk from Khor-Biyong, a Tibetan monastery hidden in the mountains, has visions when he levitates. Author(s) With Colin O'Meara, Thierry Wermuth, David Fox, Christian Pelissier. The two of them, and Snowy, head to the Horn of the Yak on the final lap of their journey. It was serialised weekly from September 1958 to November 1959 in Tintin … A graphic novel or a comic novel is a book that tells a self-contained story in comics form
The publishing houses which publish Tintin have to take the license from Fondation Herge at a huge price. Fondation Herge is the whole & sole owner of all Tintin related works, so much so, that even if you want to write a new comic featuring Tintin, Haddock, Calculus, Snowy or any other character, you will first need the permission of Fondation Herge.
However, now you get those small hard bound 3 in 1 Tintin books, which are cheaper than the bigger ones. But the frames are very small...
I agree they are expensive in India for instance, in comparison to local product. This is because they are direct imports and the exchange rate determines the local price. Tintin and Asterix comics are about ten times more expensive than locally published works in India, for sure.
With Asterix, I reckon the cost of producing menhirs could also have increased in recent times, and not much of that has been outsourced yet.
Yes, it’s an excellent book.
It tells the story of how the Tintin stories were written and and revised, and places them in social context.
In a few places, where it just relates the plot of the books, it feels a bit padded; but most of the time, it sheds light on the plots and brings details to light which the casual reader would never have noticed. It’s even mildly critical of the books occasionally, for instance where interesting details were removed in a later edition, or where the English translators had a bad day and failed to spot a clever joke.
It’s very thoroughly researched and I learned
Yes, it’s an excellent book.
It tells the story of how the Tintin stories were written and and revised, and places them in social context.
In a few places, where it just relates the plot of the books, it feels a bit padded; but most of the time, it sheds light on the plots and brings details to light which the casual reader would never have noticed. It’s even mildly critical of the books occasionally, for instance where interesting details were removed in a later edition, or where the English translators had a bad day and failed to spot a clever joke.
It’s very thoroughly researched and I learned things I didn’t know. Plus, it’s fun to read.
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Chris Owens answered this question on http://www.tintinologist.org/articles/goldenpress.html
In brief, the reasons are: bad timing (in 1950s, comics were not 'proper' books for children); translation problem; pricing (too expensive, especially for 'comics'); inadequate marketing and publicity.
As a person that grew up with TinTin comics, and would spend hours and hours reading each and every of the books in childhood, I can assure you that none of the TinTin movies/cartoons are anywhere close to capture the beauty and attractiveness of the original comics.
I own originals, printed in Belgium albums with the 1947 copyright for the first ones. I haven’t seen much of the translated ones. But Tintin’s dog is not “Snowy”, it is Milou. Same for “Smurfs”: those are Schtroumpfs. Why change the names?
Tintin is also immensely popular in India and more so in the state of West Bengal. It's said Herge realized quite late into his career the number of Indian fans he had and especially, Bengali ones. He wanted to pen down 'Tintin in Calcutta' but he passed away before that happened.
The Tintin books are also quite expensive in India and their increasing prices yearly only signal the huge fan following they have here :)
You need to buy in bulk to get a good deal online, or wait a while. Comics on the whole lose value 99% of the time.
If you want to get comics regularly you can always subscribe, that way they arrive in your mailbox and you pay less than cover price (up to half off). The caveat is you have to pay up front for a year’s subscription
Might I suggest you use Google or Amazon to find the name of an author rather than posting a question on here.
Individual Copies are 10 times better than Box Sets due to their large size as the text in Dialogue Bubbles of Box set copies is just too hard to read and you will strain your eyes reading them.