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"Tintin in the New World: A romance": A novel by Frederic Tuten

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Richard
UK Correspondent
#11 · Posted: 8 May 2005 15:51
this Tuten (I haven't heard of him elsewhere)

He's written a few books, all of which seems to have got mixed reviews, although admittedly not as bad as his mucking about with Tintin. He probably just used the character because it's free publicity - Tintin fans are going to read it out of curiosity.

Regarding the issue of other authors continuing another person's series, I think it is possible, as long as it is done respectfully. For example, Spirou was created by Rob-Vel in 1938, and continued by Jijé up until 1946, when the series was handed over to André Franquin, when it really took off.

I've not read any of the new ones, but Blake & Mortimer have been continued by a number of artists and authors, but I can't judge the quality of them - however, from the reviews on Amazon.fr, they seem to hold up to the classic Jacobs' stories.

Of course, like I said earlier, it must be done with respect to the original characters and the author. Tuten failed to do this, although his book did give us a very nice piece by Roy Lichtenstein, and for that I'm grateful !

UPDATE: Posted: May 19, 2005 12:12:51
Dragging up an old thread maybe, but there's a new review of 'this' book, called "The New World: Or, how Frederic Tuten discovered a continent."

--
[Post edited by Moderator. Combined 2 consecutive posts.]
Danagasta
Member
#12 · Posted: 2 Jul 2005 17:11
Like anything else, people have preconceived notions about Tintin and how he "should" or "shouldn't" be. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the author simply tried to steer away from that.
I also think that the preconceived notions people have about Tintin are causing the reactions I see in here. People tend to react harshly to harsh changes--it's a fact I learned in human communication courses.
The problem isn't that the book is offensive... Tuten was going for something completely different, and in that he succeeded.
This is exactly the point. I've been a Tintin fan since I was only 8, and it doesn't bother me in the least if someone wants to try something new. I'm open to that in all respects, as long as copyright laws were followed and it was done legally.
What concerns me as well is the negative reaction to the idea of Tintin being a gay man. I know that Herge didn't create him to be a homosexual, but (here's where I'll blur the line between fantasy and reality!) even if he were to be so,or if it was to have been revealed in one of the books, I wouldn't think less of Tintin whatsoever. Why would it even matter if he was gay or straight? Tintin is Tintin, I love his adventures and they'll ALWAYS be solid on their own.
Relax, folks--nothing is going to be destroyed, and the world won't fall to pieces over a novel.

Courtney
Karaboudjan
Member
#13 · Posted: 3 Jul 2005 12:52
I don't mind about Tintin being portrayed as gay (I'm gay myself, it'd be hypocritical for me to go up in arms about it), and it's an interpretation many people have come up with- but only as fun, or a joke. I too found it slightly insulting that the original poster felt "projecting" possible gay tendencies onto Tintin was reason enough to go to a psychiatrist.

My reaction stems not from this but that Tuten kills him off, and makes him act so thoroughly out of character in every other way. The books themselves will stand, being far superior, but I'm worried this piece of trash might turn people off (especially children, if this book stays in the children's section for much longer).
Danagasta
Member
#14 · Posted: 4 Jul 2005 00:31
I too found it slightly insulting that the original poster felt "projecting" possible gay tendencies onto Tintin was reason enough to go to a psychiatrist.

That's definitely understandable. I found it a bit insulting myself, and I'm straight. Stuff like that makes me mad, and I don't stand for it at all because it just isn't right.

I'm worried this piece of trash might turn people off (especially children, if this book stays in the children's section for much longer).

Now this I understand completely. At Barnes and Noble, however, it's been moved to the general fiction section. I don't know if it may be in Europe where it's in the children's section or not...that's definitely something I didn't catch.

Courtney
Jyrki21
Member
#15 · Posted: 4 Jul 2005 18:52
I got it from the Vancouver Public Library in the normal fiction section, for whatever it's worth.
Danagasta
Member
#16 · Posted: 5 Jul 2005 18:12
Tuten’s Tintin at the end of the book becomes suicidal out of desperation and finally kills himself by first taking all of his clothes off and then jumping into a river!
I just finished the book,and that's not what I got at all. He returned to the wild, as it were---reread it and you'll see exactly what I mean.
I really think that many in here aren't willing to delve deep enough into the "What if's," to actually open up to something that isn't the normal, everyday Tintin you know. Maybe it's the American in me, but I like new ventures like this. And maybe it's the Native American in me, but I'm also glad to see that someone recognizes our views on Spanish colonization (the same exact thing happened in Tennessee, by the way.)
I can only guess that the negative reactions have something to do with cultural differences. After reading these posts, I'm curious as to whether "liberalizing" Tintin is more acceptable to an American than to Europeans--after all, Tuten's an American from New York City. I know I accept the novel for what it is, and I really can't speak for anyone else but myself.

I'm really not seeing how the book is "disgusting" at all, Dalidali. In fact, it was kind of neat. I especially liked the dream sequence and the whole "circle of life" motif. I honestly don't understand where you're coming from, and I'd like to know more about your position.


Courtney
heruursmith
Member
#17 · Posted: 10 Oct 2005 11:39
I took a while to read this book when I first read it (about 5 years ago) because I found the style of writing so rich and meandering that it just made me take the extra time to read the words slowly and absorb them. I felt like I was reading a poem at times and the imagery in it stayed with me for quite a while after reading it. It was really quite odd to be honest! At times I didn't know what the hell was happening - but I still found that it managed to produce emotions in me of awe and sadness at the desolation and redemption of the characters. It was a journey reading that book, and I felt that although the character wasn't 'Tintin' as such, it was almost a type of 'what if' version of him and his friends...

I didn't get any implication that Tintin was gay at all (he fell in love with the older woman) - and being gay myself I must admit to finding the original poster's antipathy towards such things as being 'disgusting' a bit hurtful or at least insensitive to the potential people who might read such a post/review.

I found the whole bit at the end of the book when Tintin almost has some kind of 'enlightenment' or 'return to nature' as someone else put it really very moving and almost intangable. Actually this whole book was somewhat intangable and airy at times, but I still got a lot out of it on many levels.

Although the characters had problems (like real people rather than the joyful childlike innocence of the Tintin books) I still found traces of great humanity in them and their various plights and journeys. I thought that the self sacrificing nobility of the Tintin that we all love and know from Herge's works was evident at the end of the book when Tintin helped the Native American people rise up and reclaim their heritage before he 'ascended' into the jungle...

Still, it certainly wasn't what I expected when I read the name 'Tintin' on the cover! LOL
And I can see that such literature wouldn't be to everyone's taste. I enjoyed it so much that I didn't realise that it was regarded as a load of cobblers and pretentious cobblers at that...

Oops... I must be a bit dim not being able to recognise the difference between good literature and pretentious verbiage.
Eek!
Or is it perhaps a more subjective thing than that when one evaluates the quality of a work like this?

Kamael
tintinuk
Moderator Emeritus
#18 · Posted: 10 Oct 2005 19:06
I think it's subjective, to be honest. I finished reading it recently, and I found myself liking it ! By the way, I didn't get the feeling that Tintin was gay either, as he was in love, so to speak, with Clavdia, as you said.

I know it's nothing like Tintin, but I enjoyed it all the same. I particularly liked the references to the plight of the Native Americans, and the fact that he was fulfilling some sort of prophecy. The inclusion of a "Chinaman" - as he was described - was a stroke of brilliance, and I'm almost certain it was a reference to either the Chang of the Tintin books, or Hergé's Chinese friend, Chang Chong-Jen.

I found Peeperkorn's paintings of Clavdia *odd*, but the inclusion of one in the style of bande dessinée made up for that ! ;o) I also liked the last few chapters, in which Tintin is offered some 'unusual' - for want of a better word - mushrooms, and has a surreal experience afterwards. Tintin with a beard was also an intriguing idea !

Overall, I think it's an interesting novel and definitely worth reading. Even if you're nervous about it, after reading this thread (!), I would buy a second-hand copy just for the incredible cover artwork and frontispiece by Roy Lichenstein. I really thought it would ruin Tintin for me - I was pleasantly surprised !
sliat_1981
Member
#19 · Posted: 9 Jan 2006 09:03
I got it from my uncle when I was 12. I absolutely hated it! Why did Tuten pick on Tintin? It had nothing to do with him save the characters name. Why did the Herge Foundation give permission to print this rubbish, yet refuse to help Harry Thompson with his book?
I mean Tintin is sent a strage note by what could be a complete stranger telling him to go to a far off country. When he arrives there, it's never determined if he meets the person who sent it. He meets a woman and has sex with her. And a lot of the chapters there are people talking about completely different events about other people. One chapter is just about some peopn talking on and on about phycilogical junk. The woman dumps him, he goes into depression and abandons Tintin and Haddock, never giving them a reason why. He grows a beard and somehow gain majical powers (able to cure sick people). The one day for no reason, he takes off his clothes and kills himself by drowning.
I trust this book is NOT taken as canon. I have heard that 'Tintin In Thailand' is an offensive sex romp. I can't possibly imagine it as being as bad as this. He doesn't even have an adventure here. I thought it would be sad for a great character to have such a stupid end here. I'd rather imagine him dying as a Cesar than this! I think this was wrote with other characters in mind, but changed to Tintin to get it more attention.
I hope every fan who loved Tintin is with me in denouncing this terrible book.
I should point out that there's even a point in the book where he graphically talks about an errection he had! Is this how you thought of Tintin? I found it was so offensive to me to think that so many children would want this seeing as it had their hero in it and their parents buying it for them only to discover such filth. I feel sorry for my uncle as he knew I loved Tintin, but obviously didn't read this book before he gave it to me. I'm glad this is still concidered unofficial, but I can not understand why Tuten did this to his friend. How would he like it if I made a book about his other charaters talking about their errections and killing themselves?
Tintinrulz
Member
#20 · Posted: 10 Jan 2006 08:58
Exactly. I picked the book up from the library when I was about 10 and was treated to philosophical erotico drivel! It's horrible. I picked up the book thinking it was going to be a novel about Tintin that respected the character, but nooo! I've read it recently to see if my views change but it is crap, absolute crap. Not to mention it's boring as anything. And totally corrupts our hero's innocent image.

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