Tintin has been delighting children and adults alike since 1929, when he began his adventures as a boy reporter traveling the world and setting wrongs to right. Created by Georges Remi, the Belgian artist better known as Herge, Tintin’s adventures became one of the greatest early examples of the European strip cartoon.  The strip cartoon, or comic strip was originally an American creation, but one which Belgian artists quickly adopted and improved upon.  Herge’s work is a stellar example of the style called “the clear line.”  Many of the images, which together comprise a story, can be viewed as self-contained illustrations. Herge was able to achieve this effect without disrupting the flow of the story.

History of Tintin

Tintin first appeared in the weekly children's newspaper Le Petit Vingtieme, on January 19th, 1929. As the serialized Tintin comic strips appeared, they were collated into book form. Herge was known for the extensive research that went into each Tintin story. His quest for accuracy enhanced the adventures with local color and detail. For example, in The Blue Lotus, every street sign, wall hanging, and Chinese character is correct. Tintin adventures also portrayed the political mood of the time.

Herge died in 1983. Per Herge’s request, no new adventures have been published, however, many volumes of the Adventures of Tintin were compiled into various book publications, and have become treasured family heirlooms.  Collectors or “Tintinologs”(specialists of Tintin’s world) find outlets for their passion in the many publications,animated cartoons, statuettes, games, art pieces, publicity and merchandising items that have been created around the theme of Tintin’s adventures.