Tintin Forums

We all know that after the death of Herge, there is to be no more official Adventures of Tintin. Some like this, some do not. People have tried once a many times to bring the characters created by Herge alive through their own pens. But why should we have to have the same characters that Herge created in our literary works? Why not make our own characters with their own stories which may or may not be influenced by Tintin? This way, we would pay the ultimate tribute to Herge, without breaking his wish.

With this belief, I created a novel where a heroine and her small white fox terrier travel through difficult terrains in search of her brother who had run away from home. During her quest, she meets up with an alcoholic, broken, fed-up-with-the-world-detective, who is reluctant to help her first, but finally agrees to. Do you see the similarities? And the differences?

So, have you made any literary characters (it does not have to be published, mine isn't) influenced by the Adventures of Tintin?

Hmmm... we have to tread very carefully here - there's a fine line between discussing the possibilities of being influenced, and recounting thinly-disguised fan fiction: the former is okay, the latter is a strict no-no.

I'm certainly not discouraging anyone who wants to work in the same field of derring-do and fantastic adventure as Hergé, and indeed his advice to those who would write to him with their pictures of his characters and ideas for stories was that, while flattered, they should direct their efforts to creating new characters and situations of their own.

Garen Ewing - who designed our logo - has done this with The Adventures of Julius Chancer
, as has Les McClaine in his Jonny Crossbones comics; they are wholly original, but very much in the vein of humour and adventure which Hergé pioneered.

In the case of your synopsis, Shivam302001, it sounds to me that you might be adhering too closely to the pattern of the original - why give the central character the same dog, and a combination of a Thompson and a Haddock as side-kicks? They seem too close to the "source" to be truly original to my eye. They might work as a throw away joke or sly reference in hommage to Hergé as part of a story, but they seem a little too similar, on-the-nose, to be truly original creations, given the multitude of pets and personal characteristics which could be chosen from.

Les has been known to slip a certain bearded sailor into the background of his panels, driving a car or sitting at a bar, but it is only to give the Tintin fan a little nod of recognition, something to acknowledge his personal respect for what has gone before, rather than making a character who plays a central part have habits or attributes taken from the Tintin books.

jock123

Yes, I see your point. Indeed, I was thinking of changing the breed of the dog, actually.

And about the alcoholic detective. I started writing it in the vein of Captain Haddock, I agree, but I too realized that it was not coming out to be fine, making the whole plot a bit darkish( unlike our Captain), while I wanted to make the plot light and cheery. So, after my family members had adviced me, I replaced these traits with those of a detective of my original creation (which my family members would be aware of :-)), who is competitive, but poor and has a criminal background which now blends nicely with the story.

I will look to change the breed of the heroine's dog. And, I must assure you, that the final draft of my story does not bear any overtly indications to Tintin and the characters less so.

However, I did give a name-drop of Tintin, alongwith Sherlock Holmes, Poirot and Feluda. Am I allowed to do that?

Oh, but of course! A tip of the hat to those who inspire is is always a welcome thing, I think! :-)