What made you first read a Tintin book?

I was wondering what first made each of us first pick up a Tintin book, here's mine...
I was on a short holiday in Edinburgh when I was about 5 years old and, in a book shop, I made my Mum buy me Red Rackham's Treasure, just because it had a picture of a shark on the front.

Rik

I caught the series on HBO when I was about 12 or something, and then I found out more about it and that there was an original comic.

I started to get into collecting comics of my own at about that age (all my Asterix were bought by my dad; this time I was spending my own money!) and I went to a store specialized in imports and magazines; on the same day, I picked two comics that were a first:
Akira, and a Tintin book.
They only had two of them left: Coke en Stock and Explorers on the Moon.
I thought the latter sounded absolutely fantastic, so I took it.
End of story.

For me it was a treasure passed on from generations to generations. My mother's brother used to read Tintin and Asterix. Then my elder brother used to read it (note nobody ever bought it). My second brother used to read it occasionaly. But to me Tintin was handed over by my elder brother. Infact I got interested into drawing and sketching more because of him. I owe it to him (But I got interested into computers due to my second brother). Anyways, my first albums were "The Red Sea Sharks" and "Tintin in America" gifted to me on my birthday. From then on it was a never ending journey, my father used to gift me a new Tintin Album every birthday or at times I used to get them multiple. Its a collection from age 12 you can say.

Recently, I have not been able to buy more Tintin because of the sudden increase in expense. When I used to buy it was 75 bucks to 100. But now its of 350 bucks (indian currency i.e.). But I got hold of Prisoners of Sun second handed. I dont have "The Seven Crystal Balls" though I have read it like a 100 times. And I dont have single edition of "Broken ear", "Black Island" & "Sceptre" but rather as a 3 in 1. Recently, I bought The Making of Tintin moon edition. I am saving money to buy "Tintin: The Complete Companion".

I think I was probably attracted by the large rocket in the local library. Tintin books were staple library loans for me throughout most of my childhood, and two of my current tintin albums are ex library. Then gradually I started buying the books, so have a selection from the mid 80's to current editions for some. Then when I had some actual money coming I decided to buy the rest on bulk, making my first visit to the london store.

Yes it wasn't until I grew up and recently completed my collection of books, before then it was mostly libraries

Rik

My mother (and her sisters, probably) used to read it as children; so she used to read them to me when I was young. Many of the books are now falling apart; indeed, The Red Sea Sharks has had to be stitched together. The Calculus Affair is also from like the 70's, and its price something like 36p. (cf. ~£5.99 today!)

Hmm .... i"m guessing a lot of you are over my age...22 that is - so I feel lowly saying that I caught the television series which got my interest.

I'm 23 and never knew there was a television series until I started reading things here.
I used to read my father's Asterix comics, then while I was at my cousin's, age 13 or 14, I thought the books that were on his shelf were more Asterix. I was wrong, but now I am real glad I made that mistake and read one anyway.

I'm 23 and saw the original Belvision TV series around the same time I got my first book. My Mum used to enjoy the series when she was a child as well. Obviously they were repeats when I was watching it when I was about 3

Rik

I'm 21. I first discovered Tintin at 8 years old in my primary school library. The titles they had were Castafiore Emerald and the two Moon adventures. They were mildly interesting (I wasn't interested in super hero comics), but something must have grabbed my attention for me to pursue it. Later I often borrowed Tintin comics from my local library and my neighbour and I bought my first Tintin comic at 12. It was The Seven Crystal Balls. I saw the tv series in 1994.