The Secret to Tintinology

What's the secret to Tintinology? Forget the world. Find a comfortable couch. And imagine yourself as one of the recurring characters in "The Adventures of Tintin". Not Captain Haddock, who keeps on muttering, "Thundering typhoons!". Not the bumbling Thomson and Thompson either.

Georges Remi thought of a young reporter, whose kind heart and valor would make headlines. Anything could happen between the Great War and the Second World War, and Tintin and Snowy, his pet wire fox terrier, find themselves in the most unexpected circumstances. (The lad may have a four-leaf clover tucked inside his shirt.) The Belgian wrote several volumes on Tintin's adventures. Not one is more memorable than the other, so let's have a look at some of them. Fasten your seat belt. Take a deep breath. And brace yourself for the unknown. Here we go:

Cigars of the Pharaoh. This fourth volume, originally published between 1932 and 1934, was a huge success. Tintin and Snowy were aboard the ship in the Red Sea, which was bound to Shanghai. It was supposed to be a holiday, but they encountered Sophocles Sarcophagus. He held a papyrus, containing a message from Pharaoh Kih-Oskh. The doctor was searching for the remains of Egyptians pharaohs throughout his career, and scholars have no knowledge of Kih-Oskh. Tintin didn't mind a detour, but he would find another one. And another one (and so on). Don't be misled by the title, suspecting the Egyptians of inventing the cigar. It was the most unpredictable story by Herge, which would delight readers. Tintin find himself in a film production. He was almost killed by hostile natives in the desert. And he learned how to communicate with the wild elephants in India. Readers couldn't ask for more.

King Ottokar's Scepter. Herge intended this volume to be a satire on the expansionist policy of Nazi Germany, but readers wouldn't figure it out. They wanted more adventure, and this one exceeded expectations. Tintin found a briefcase, and his instinct prompted him to bring it to its owner. Professor Hector Alembick collected royal seals, and his collection included a valuable seal of Charlemagne. His latest was from King Ottakar IV of Sylvadia. He had an invitation from King Muskar XII, the current monarch of Sylvadia, where he can do an extensive research in the royal library. It was coincidence that the professor was looking for a secretary, but not the presence of shady characters who wanted to stop Tintin from setting foot in this Balkan kingdom. An act of kindness brought Tintin all kinds of trouble, including a coup attempt. But the lad found an unlikely savior in Bianca Castafiore. If not for her ear-piercing opera arias, then Tintin and Snowy wouldn't escape from prison.

Prisoners of the Sun. Remi was inspired by the Machu Picchu, imagining a secret Inca community somewhere in the Cusco Region. Professor Calculus wore a golden bracelet, believed to be stolen from the treasure of the Incas. He was abducted and brought to the Temple of the Sun, where the descendants of the great Inca rulers lived. This volume had a predictable storyline, where readers would guess the outcome after page ten. But they were envious of Tintin, Snowy and Haddock. They braved the blistering conditions in the Andes and the hostile elements in the Amazon. And there was truth to the legend.