If these 62 pages of adventure comic cannot make you stop your life and transport you into a different world… then I guess you must be lying in your grave!!! I have yet to meet someone who does not like these comics for the lovely reading they give.
My first brush with Tintin goes back to my class 4th days when I would just love to go through the color pictures. After almost 20 years, I have grown to like not only the stories but have been trying to connect 2-3 stories together for the environment at that period of time.
Each book is a marvel and when you lay your hands upon a new one, the first thing one does is sit back and complete one. Tintin is the hero who gives you hope, relief, entertainment, taking you away from your day-to-day reality.
WHY TINTIN?
The fine detailing in the sketches.
Tintin has a very high repeat value. One can go on reading the same comic over and over..!!!
Very strong story scripting… (It was believed Herge used to spend years detailing out one story..which speaks volumes of the commitment and direction of the stories.)
A spirit for adventure in each comic, making each story so different from the one read before.
The contrasting colors in each small frame of the comic.
Universal appeal to all age groups
The way characters come and go in different Tintin stories, with a complete continuity in all the books.
*As a child I used to love Tintin for 2 more reasons 1) he did not have a girlfriend and
2) His dog. SNOWY, who was a cool pet !:D Whatta fool I was to love Tintin for the first reason…::D
WHAT THE HELL IS TINTIN AND WHO ARE ITS CHARACTERS?
Tintin: Smart reporter, with as much hair of shaving brush on his head.
Snowy: Tintin’s pet dog who accompanies him on all adventure trails. Loves his bones and has his masters taste for adventure
Captain Haddock: A sailor swearing by Scot whisky. Aids Tintin in most of the adventures. He is brilliant with his innovative sailor abuses.
Thomson & Thompson: Twin Detectives with bowler hats and sticks with a penchant for working undercover. Both have a habit of interpreting things their own way.!!!
Calculus: An absent minded genius professor…with a hearing problem
Bianca Castafiore: The fat opera singer whose “JEWELS” are too much to handle for tintin and esp Capt haddock.
Rastapopulous: The long nosed, bald villain appearing in couple of the adventures
Nestor: Overworked Butler at Captain Haddocks estate
WHICH COMICS IN TINTIN SERIES ARE THE BEST?
Tintin in Tibet
Land of Black Gold
Flight 714
WHAT ABOUT THE PRICE?
The complete set of Tintin books is available in all the leading bookshops and shopping sites. Should you want to buy all the 24 set then you can expect a discount of 25%-30%. The average copy would cost you anything between 225 to 275 INR.
I AM NOT CASH RICH. CAN I OWN A TINTIN?
There are Three-in-one sets. These are a little small in page size, but the stories are covered in one bound book.
Keep a good PR with your Used paper hawker, He will collect it for you.. and you can have it 10-50 Rs per copy depending upon your PR effort with him.
Street shopping: In places like Bombay, there are book hawkers near Fountain, where you can get Tintin… from a price of 25 Rs to 150 Rs depending upon the version.
Try to bid it in Auction sites. Do not bid more than 70% of the actual price for used ones and for new ones, you decide what you wanna pay!
Borrow it and forget it;)
TIPS FOR TINTIN APPRECIATION
No time limits: Do not have time limits for completing the comics. You will miss out the finer details
Sketching details: Try to see each frame with magnifying glass;), as the creator himself had the pain to sit down and draw it.
Color appreciation: Try to appreciate the strong color, overlying color schemes and the progress of colors from one frame to another. Although Herge did very few errors …you may find some of his mistakes;)
One book at a time: Do not overstuff yourself with more than one book to read. This is because you tend to be always in rush to complete the present one to move to another one.
Try to read one book at one go for maximum interpretation. When you have to leave the comics midway, then make sure you have recapped the story so far when restarting. Never turn the page over, till you have recapped what has been read so far..!!!
Try to collect and make sense of captain Haddocks abuses. You will certainly have additions in your vocabulary;)
Your friends/ relatives/kids might love this book, and would like to borrow. Its not recommended to lend it. Techniques such as slapping the kid, abusing the relative and punching the friend have been found to be effective dissuasive techniques.
Hardbound your copy, laminate it with plastic and give the book an anti termite treatment.
When to read: When alone, when relaxing, Sunday afternoons, while going to sleep (Actually anytime, when there is least distraction)
Where to read: Hammocks, during Long journeys, in Bed (but never sitting!!!!)
HOW BIG A TINTIN FAN YOU ARE?
1) Who is the creator of Tintin
2) What is Tintin’s dog called? (part I) What breed is the dog? (Part II)
3) What is Calculus’s first name
4) Which is the only continent where Tintin’s adventure are not based in.
5) What is Tintin’s nationality?
6) What is the name of the Valet who works for Captain Haddock at his estate?
7) What is the name of Captain Haddocks estate house?
8) What is Captain Haddock’s brand of whisky?
9) Which is the highest selling Tintin story ever world wide
10) Which is Tintin’s first adventure
11) Which is Tintin’s last released Tintin comics
Check the answer in the COMMENTs section of this article!!!
