Tintin Forums

I Just downloaded it and i would call it a satire of Tintin it is quite funny in places although i dont like they way they portray tintin in this book but im not taking it to seriously.

I laughed when I was scanning the pages of "tintin in thailand!" It's really funny on how the plot and story is stupid!

Posted: 14 Oct 2006 18:01:45
like number1fan posted, I also didn't take it seriously..

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[Combined 2 consecutive posts. -Moderator]

It's one of those things you really have to take with a grain of salt. It's a pretty nasty little book, but when reading it you have to be aware that it really isn't the "actual" Tintin, it's a vulgar satire. In fact, in the end, I managed to get a few laughs out of it (mind you, this is coming from a fan of South Park and MAD magazine). I don't think I could stand to read it again, though, I wouldn't ever want something like that supplanting my mental image of the sweet, idealistic "real" Tintin.

Is it true that people in posession of printed copies were jailed on orders from Moulinsart's legal team? That idea sounds more disgusting than the book itself. Profiting from violated copyright aside, it seems to be a harsh punishment that far outsrips the nature of the crime. What about freedom of speech?

Moreover, I wonder what the repercussions would be should Japanese artists ever make a doujinshi (profitable fan comic) out of Tintin (he's quite popular in the country, even the famous manga group CLAMP has said that they're fans). Would the lax Japanese copyright laws be over-rided by Moulinsart's fierce guard over the Tintin franchise? (Just a thought...)

Is it true that people in posession of printed copies were jailed on orders from Moulinsart's legal team? That idea sounds more disgusting than the book itself. Profiting from violated copyright aside, it seems to be a harsh punishment that far outsrips the nature of the crime. What about freedom of speech?

According to this article, in all 3 men were arrested though all were released. I'm sorry I do not know the answer on your second paragraph..

I think I can't take to read this comic book anymore.. but at least I got a glimpse/preview on how it looks like. ( deletes Tintin in Thailand ) ^ ~ ^

Shaggy Milou
Is it true that people in posession of printed copies were jailed on orders from Moulinsart's legal team?
As you say above, you should take this with a (big) grain of salt - exactly how would Moulinsart be able to order the jailing of anybody?

They are only able to make use of the same law that anyone could - they call in solicitors etc. to act on their behalf. If a judge were then to sentence the offenders to prison, that is the judiciary, not a civil set-up llike a publishing house. And as evelyn points out above, there isn’t any truth in it anyway…

I’m not sure why you should equate copyright violation with freedom of speech - if you are free to make a point, you are free to do so without using someone else’s copyright.

Would the lax Japanese copyright laws be over-rided by Moulinsart's fierce guard over the Tintin franchise? (Just a thought...)

Again, how? Belgian BD shock-troops? Moulinsart would use the means necessary provided by Japanese law to protect their copyright, just like anyone else. They can’t over-ride the law anywhere (if nothing else, they are a very small company…), but they have a legal, moral and actual responsibility to protect the interests of the license they hold from the Hergé estate to make use of his work.

As you say above, you should take this with a (big) grain of salt - exactly how would Moulinsart be able to order the jailing of anybody?

They are only able to make use of the same law that anyone could - they call in solicitors etc. to act on their behalf. If a judge were then to sentence the offenders to prison, that is the judiciary, not a civil set-up llike a publishing house. And as evelyn points out above, there isn’t any truth in it anyway…

I’m not sure why you should equate copyright violation with freedom of speech - if you are free to make a point, you are free to do so without using someone else’s copyright.

My beef is with the arrests themselves, regardless of who was responsible for them (I'm not saying people who posess goods they know are illgeal shouldn't be held accountable, but why wouldn't a simple fine suffice?). Apart from the seeming futility of such an excersise, it seems to me that mere possesion of a pirate publication makes a pretty weak case for arresting someone. Sure, they contributed to the profiting of the perpetrators (in a small way), but imagine if the same principle was applied everywhere: law enforcement would waste time and resources hunting down kids downloading mp3s, tourists buying souveniers made from endangered legally protected animals and other such innocently unheeding lugs. Perhaps it's just the rampant neo-conservative atmosphere these days, but stories about people getting arrested over such relitavely trivial things makes me uneasy. Is the law about possesing pirate publications made clear in Belgium?
They do have a better case in apprehending the designer, but was he the one actually printing the copies? I understand that the Foundation probably wouldn't have the juridstiction or the assistance to take down the actual "head honcho" of the book's distribution in Thailand (not that I'm an expert on Thai international co-operation, but even I'm aware of the kind of legal system that exists over there).

However, I mentioned the Japanese comics market, which I am more familiar with, as a kind of counterpoint. I'm not sure if you are aware, but there is a flourishing Japanese commerce in fan-comics (many of which have material far worse and more "defamaing" than "Tintin in Thailand"). The law in Japan allows profit from these books to be made by the fans that draw them. The corporations in charge of the original works see the market as a positive thing, not only as a free source of advertising, but also as a talent pool from which to pluck the next big manga artists (the professional manga group I mentioned, CLAMP, got their start by doing just that). And furthermore, this policy also applies to source material that belongs to foreign companies. Some of the hottest fancomics on the market are Harry Potter ones- a franchise owned by good old "let's-shut-down-kids'-fansites" Time Warner. I'm used to this easygoing kind of publishing environment in comic books- maybe that's why the "Tintin in Thailand" debacle is such a jarring thing for me.

And, forgive me, my mentioning of free speech is based largely on things I've heard second hand about Tintin and copyright laws. This may be a fallacy, and I don't believe it with any conviction, but I've heard that things as innocent as kids posting Tintin fanart on the internet, in an entirely non-profit environment, have led to stringent censoring and lawsuits being issued (a la Time Warner). If there's evidence to the contrary, then please feel free to impart it.

I didn't particularly like this book. I didn't like how they used the dreaded "C" word so much. I thought they should have ditched Calculus' girl ages ago. I kept hoping that she'd go away and was annoyed when she kept going with them. I hated the thought that they were going to get married and now she would be there in the house with them too. I preffered all the characters being asexual with no women coming into their lives and interferring in Marlinspike.
Having said that, I still didn't find this as offensive as the book they allowed, "Tintin In The New World". At least the sex in Tintin in Thailand is never shown or graphic. At least they don't split them up at the end or kill Tintin off. I

I've heard about this. It sounds hideous. One day, I'll buy it, but I'll seal it in a sheet of plastic, as I never what to actually read it.

I've read Tintin in Thailand and believe me, it wasn't pretty and by the end of it I was quite shocked.

Yes, this IS a satire of Tintin and yes there are a few laughs here and there, but I found this really appauling.
The artwork is dire, hard to understand, the characters (of course being in a satire) are out of character by a long shot aside from Calculus who actually maintains himself, the story... did that even exist?
It was abysmal and hard to comprehend. The way the black and white was styled hurt my eyes a lot too, if I'm allowed to add.

I don't suggest reading it unless you're one of rather extreme satire or you're just not fazed by these sorts of things anymore.

I can't believe ya finally came down reading that, Grey. XP I read less than a quarter of it and was not interested anymore. So yeah, I've heard what it's like. Not good.