Tintin Forums

Just wondering, which Tintin book do you prefer? The earlier, solo adventurous Tintin on the run books, or the later, group effort Tintin books?

For me, I think it's hard to choose, because they're both so good. It's tempting to choose the group cast of later ones, because those stories were better drawn and written than the earlier ones, (plus I love Captain Haddock), but all the same, the earlier books had a bigger sense of adventure because it was always Tintin-on-the-go, whereas later it was more of a "Captain, you do this, I'll do that). In the end, I can't choose one over the other, but perhaps you can?

I can't really choose either. The Seven Crystal Balls/Prisoners of the Sun is my favourite ensemble and The Calculus Affair my favourite solo Tintin piece. Each is really good. There are some great solo adventures and some great double adventures. Its just that some adventures were to big for one comic.

I slightly prefer the ensemble, partly because of the richness of the other characters (esp. Captain Haddock). Tintin solo seems to portray the reporter as being friendless and a wanderer...

Tintinrulz
The Calculus Affair (is) my favourite solo Tintin piece.

Surely that would be an ensemble piece, as it features the other regulars, rather than a solo adventure?

I really like the early solo stories (well, duo stories, as Snowy gets more of a look in!), and wish that Hergé had gone back to that format for at least some of the later stories, instead of being compelled to include more and more of the cast…

…but there are some great ensemble pieces too - they all have their merits!

Tintinrulz, I meant solo as in a story with only Tintin, like Broken Ear, or Land of Black Gold (mostly). By ensemble, I mean with more than one main character, not the number of books in the story.

Anyways, while the later ensemble books have their merit, the earlier ones always have a sense of unmatchable unplanned sort of feel - like the Blue Lotus, for example. Compare that feel with something like Flight 714, it feels like a soap opera!

I like both, really - although my favourite album is Tintin in Tibet, I can't say the solo adventures are without their merits. My favourite solo adventure is The Blue Lotus - it's absolutely fantastic, in my opinion - and as it's the first adventure that I read, I'll always have a soft spot for it !

Despite what a wealth of popular films, books and so on produced today may have one believe, I think most people still recognise, respect and enjoy to a greater degree those works of art which are carefully crafted to be coherent and even logical. I believe that the development and depth of the characters, the plot and the world in general that an artist invites us to join is usually only brought about in such works as these through such careful construction and planning.

And most people recognise that Herge created in the later books of Tintin masterpieces in the realm of comics as a result of such efforts. I may even go so far as to say that "Tibet" "Emerald" and a few other later books perhaps should be regarded as a comic standard such was the strength of his characters and plot!

This thread concerns ensemble versus solo books but I am tempted to lump the term ensemble together with this idea of a standard I think Herge was looking for and achieved. I believe that despite the fact "Tintin" is known in general as "a boy reporter who goes on adventures" those later masterpieces under his name are as a whole were purposefully constructed with Tintin being more of as a cardboard character - though integral to the movability of the plot - among real characters.

theone wrote:

Anyways, while the later ensemble books have their merit, the earlier ones always have a sense of unmatchable unplanned sort of feel.

That's a very good point!

Something has to be said for the nature of the older books which, being compressed from serials, were not carefully planned before production as an aggregate product. Perhaps the fact that the author didn't know where things would ultimately end up beyond mini episodes somehow (beyond expectations) lends a more realistic sense to the adventure and perhaps that greater sense of adventure; in the sense that in real life, none of us know what is coming around the corner to quote the Red Sea Sharks! It certainly prevents the plots from being formulaic and predictable!

But this does work against the general feeling I described above - that being that people generally hold a higher regard for works which are carefully, coherently and cogently crafted so I am tempted to think that regard comes into it too. People can respect a great movie, but still enjoy a b-grade sometimes!

But there's something about your point that got me thinking. While such masterpieces perhaps for the merits of greater logic, coherency and so on invite to a greater degree the reader into the world created, those earlier books for want of these qualities as they may, do still invite the reader in for qualities of their own. And I don't think it's just that they are charming for a lack of coherency and what not.

I am tempted to think that the fact that being taken from episodes, they are chockablock with a greater variety of incidents than the later adventures which have a clear but perhaps limited direction. This thread really concerns Tintin versus an ensemble cast. And that comes into it too. Many say that the cardboard nature that Tintin's character became allows the reader to better transpose themselves into the world taking his position - but perhaps the opposite is true. Perhaps the reader can better enter the story when Tintin is by himself as he is in the earlier adventures, despite and maby because of the fact that he has more real character.

Very thought-inducing, Snowy. The only reason I impulsively posted this was because I hadn't read the earlier books for years, myself only owning Tintin books Golden Claws and ->forward. But a few days ago I finally reread the early books (Blue Lotus, Broken Ear, Ottokar's Sceptre and Black Island), and I found them very charming in their own right. Perhaps that "charm" is what differentiates them.

The thing is, though it may seem like I prefer the earlier ones, my favourite books are still ensemble books such as "Tibet" and "Castafiore Emerald".

I think it does have a lot to do with Tintin's role. In the earlier books he is the only characters and has a clear personality to him (he's also very, very short). Later on, though, the amount of personality to him has to be paved to make room for Captain Haddock (who requires a certain amount) and other characters who make occasional appearances. When Tintin meets Chang again in Tibet, you can think - Tintin has changed a lot since their first meeting. I think in Picaros this is most clear - Tintin is almost like a narrator in some of that story. I do miss the earlier Tintin sometimes.

The early albums are more pure adventure, not really hindered by plot complexities and other characters. The focus is on Tintin and his exploits around the world.