English publishers who aren't Methuen

Reading Michael Farr's Tintin companion, one would think that the British publisher Methuen had a monopoly over the English version of Tintin books.

Most people are probably aware of the American publisher, Atlantic/Little-Brown (although they use the exact words and lettering of the British translations, as far as I know). Meanwhile, most Canadian-sold albums are just published by Methuen. but I also possess two anglophone Tintin books made by two other publishers. Anyone know anything about them?

My copy of "The Blue Lotus" was purchased in Vancouver, and published by a company called Magnet.

My copy of "The Calculus Affair," purchased in London, is published by a company called Mammoth.

Anyone know about these non-Methuen publishers?

I might be wrong, but I think both Magnet and Mammoth are off shoots of the Metheun Co. itself. Little, Brown sells Tintin in America and belongs to Warner Books,
narayan

All my 'main series' Tintin books (America to Picaros) are Magnet books. My Jo Zette Jocko, Popol and Quick Flupke books are Mammoth. As advnarayan says, I'm sure they're an imprint of Methuen.

Over the years I've had both magnet and methuen Tintin books, except the modern ones which are egmont. I think The Secret Ray was casterman.

Rik

Magnet and Mammoth were both children's offshoots of Methuen -- I have a feeling one was specifically for comics, but I'm not sure. Neither exists now.

Interestingly, inside one of the older books it says Mandarin is an offshoot of the Octopus publishing group. Mandarin and Octopus are not mentioned anywhere else, so the statement seems a little inconsequent.

All the Tintin books I or my family own are published by Mammoth, except for: Mr. Pump's Legacy which is Magnet, a 3-in-1 (The Broken Ear, The Black Island, and King Ottokar's Sceptre) which is Methuen's Children's Books, and another 3-in-1 (The Castafiore Emerald, Flight 714, and Picaros) which is Little, Brown and Co.

Oh, and my brand spanking new English copy of Congo (thanks to my brother for the birthday present!) is Casterman.

Paul

Mandarin and Octopus were used by Methuen/ Mammoth/ Magnet, but I thought they were over-seas (Australia/ New Zealand) distributors. Could be they were put out over here (UK) due to overstock, or by accident? Unless you are in the southern hemisphere?

Jyrki21
(although they use the exact words and lettering of the British translations, as far as I know)

Yes they do. The few English Tintin albums I have (I live in Sweden) are from America, as I lived there for 4 years. The translators are listed as LL-C & MC. They use the British spellings of words and use typical British expressions (eg. "Cheers"). I'm also pretty sure that they use the same handwriting. Heck, they're most likely just reprints, with Little, Brown stuck on the front and an American price tag of $9.95.

-Gustav

Yes they do. The few English Tintin albums I have (I live in Sweden) are from America, as I lived there for 4 years. The translators are listed as LL-C & MC. They use the British spellings of words and use typical British expressions (eg. "Cheers"). I'm also pretty sure that they use the same handwriting. Heck, they're most likely just reprints, with Little, Brown stuck on the front and an American price tag of $9.95.

The reason I said "as far as I know" was because in the images used in Michael Farr's Tintin: A Complete Companion, the in-panel handwriting in English is actually different than the ones I grew up with, which were almost all purchased in Washington State in the U.S. In Farr's book, it looks to be the same handwriting you get in French (thinner and more slanted than the English version)...

Anyone know what the deal is there? Why would it look different in the panels he displays?

Jyrki21
the in-panel handwriting in English is actually different than the ones I grew up with,

Wierd... It would be a real waste for Little, Brown to rip off the whole British translation only to use a different handwriting. My theory is that maybe different editions of the British translations have different handwritings...

-Gustav

Moderator Note: Ahem! Little, Brown do not "rip off" anything - it's a fully authorized and above board use of the MT&LL-C translations!

The UK editions have, until recently, used the hand lettering of Mr. Hyslop. It never really varied through the books, and to me it was a nicer font than the French language books.

The new facsimile editions are now being computer set, and that is what I imagine happened with the Companion: the pages will have been laid out, using the pictures with blank balloons - no dialogue.

Then all the languages will have had the text over-laid - this I imagine will have been easier to achieve by re-lettering the balloons with a computer font, than blowing up the Hyslop text and manipulating that, and thus we lose the familiar look of the words. That's why the panels look different.