Tintin Forums

Oddly enough, Tintin manages to find time to change from his army uniform to his old clothes (where they came from, who knows!) while the rest of the army is breaking down the door on page 30.

At least in The Broken Ear, he stays in part of his colonel's uniform until he reaches civilization!

He's something of a quick-change artist in those early books, and seems to be able to conjure up clothes, wigs and false beards from nowhere! (See his transformation into an old lady on the train, also in Picaros or into an old man in the cottage, in The Black Island.)

Mark Falconer wrote: Tintin's alias in the army was Ali-Bhai. Abu-Bin-Dun was the corporal who 'enlisted' him.

Thanks, Mark, for spotting the mistake; it's been fixed now.

I've had a Swedish copy of "Cigars of the Pharaoh" in my possession since the early 70s but just recently noticed a possible error. As you know, Tintin gets enlisted to the local army when arriving in the Arabian city (pages 24-25). The trousers and socks of his new uniform (first seen in frame 3, page 25) looks a bit like his usual outfit apart from the colour and the large pocket on the right thigh. Tintin wears this uniform up and until frame 2, page 30.

Then - while the Thompsons escape via the ladder and the soldiers are breaking the door - he finds time to both remove the military jacket, change trousers and socks (but NOT the headgear) and hide behind the hanging clothes, because for the rest of page 30 he's sporting the yellow shirt (presumably worn all along under the military jacket) but also his usual trousers (with no pocket on the thigh) and white socks.

A very quick change of clothes indeed :-)

It does seem to be an error; I wonder when (if?) Hergé noticed it, since he must surely have whilst drawing. I suppose the clothing change pales next to the elephant conversations a few pages later :p

Incidentally there's no problem in the black and white version; the uniform comprises a robe and a shirt worn over his normal clothes and it's clear that he keeps his old clothes on underneath. When Tintin runs into the officer in the street, the robe is torn to reveal his normal plus-fours. He discards the military shirt whilst fleeing the city on foot.