Saturday, 10 January 2009

Tintin's Anniversary

Blistering barnacles! Today marks the 80th anniversary of the first appearance of Tintin. Drawn and written by the Belgian cartoonist George Remi, better known as Hergé, Tintin was first seen in "Le Petit Vingtième", a weekly children's newspaper on 10th January 1929. Apparently, Tintin was based on an earlier character created by Hergé called Totor who was a boy scout. Tintin however, is a roving reporter, (not that there's ever much evidence of this in the books), who is drawn to dangerous intrigues in which his bravery and quick thinking save the day. He's usually accompanied by Milou, his white Wire Fox Terrier, more commonly known as Snowy.

There have been a few Tintin stories doing the rounds recently; I saw this story on Thursday asking if Tintin is gay. Not that it matters, of course, but I'm sure Snowy knows the truth ;)

Also just read in The Guardian that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are going to be playing the Thompson Twins in the forthcoming Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson film. Hard to imagine really as they don't look a bit alike. In the books they were impossible to tell apart except by their moustaches! The actor playing Tintin has yet to be cast and I'm guessing that Snowy will be some kind of CGI monstrosity, sigh.

Happy Anniversary, Tintin. And Snowy too of course!
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6 comments:

  1. Jake of Florida10 January 2009 at 13:18

    Thanks "J1" -- I wish I wish I still had the original books I had when in Paris -- but that was way before I discovered wires and so I totally missed the significance. What a goof!!

    Woofs to Jackson.

    Joan

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  2. Dewey Dewster10 January 2009 at 14:38

    J1,

    What an interesting article about Tintin. I have read about the story a bit but really didn't know that it was that old. There was an article in the Pgh. Magazine a few years ago about a woman from the area who went to Paris on vacation with her Wire Fox and was surprised when so many people thought the dog looked like Snowy in the Tintin books. Even more interesting was the fact that dogs in Paris are treated more like humans as they are permitted in restaurants and the hotels catered to them as well. Maybe the French need to come here and teach Americans how to appreciate dogs.

    And we have to wait til 2010 to see the movie......bummer....

    Nancy J
    Pgh. Pa

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  3. Asta10 January 2009 at 15:46

    Thanks for the reminder and the stories..the one about h
    tintin and his gayness is a hoot, and very persuasive..he reminds me of so many of my friends,
    Snowy will always be the main hero for me for obvious reasons..I have an old TinTin rug in my bathroom, bought a zillion years ago on a trip to Belgium..I think it looks just like George being watched by Asta in front of the bathroom sink.
    Joyeux annivewsaiwe!love
    Ami and Asta

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  4. bluedogrose15 January 2009 at 02:05

    I adored Tintin growing up, but I must admit, Snowy was my favorite character. I too wish I still had my old books, but they were worn to bits from reading.

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  5. Anonymous15 January 2009 at 08:36

    Tintin was/is ace! I think I read all the stories at least twice when I was younger 20 years or so ago!

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  6. Anonymous26 January 2009 at 10:46

    Ooooh! Thank you for this post!! Viva Tin Tin (and Snowy and Capt. Haddock and the Thompson twins etc!)! I'm a huge Tin Tin fan and re-read his adventures about once a year because they are just so entertaining and well drawn!

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