R.I.P.: Philippe Goddin (1944-2025)

Perhaps the world's greatest Tintinologist, Belgian author Philippe Goddin has died.

In a career spanning more than forty years, M. Goddin wrote more about the work and life of Hergé than perhaps any other person, and authored books and essays which have done so much to enhance our understanding of our specialist subject.

Over the years he shared his expertise abundantly: the monumental seven volume, Hergé, chronologie d'une - his magnum opus - provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of any artist, but he still found time to write a biography of Hergé, and edit and annotate re-editions of the albums, as well as giving his all to the group Les Amis de Hergé, of which he was the president.

Our gratitude and thanks go the man himself, and our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and those who knew him.

Hi Jock123

Indeed a huge loss, whose magnitude to the world of not just Tintin, but also comics in general, may not be fully understood at this moment.

Besides Michael Farr, who are recognized Hergeologists / Tintinologists, from the Herge Foundation or Tintinimaginatio who could continue to provide "Behind the making of albums" or other Tintin books for the future?

Thanks,

ISals

Very sad. I hadn't heard of him nor the chronologie d'une oevre books before, which look like a very impressive feat of work! It does appear that he has lived a rich life doing what he loved.

Oh there are definitely others out there - Dominique Maricq, for example, who has written several fascinating books; Benoît Peeters, who made a huge impression on me with his Le monde d'Hergé, as well as providing the fantastically well balanced biography, Hergé, Son of Tintin; and Stuart Tett's capsule information from behind the stories in the young reader editions of the books was highly readable and well informed - and those three are just off the top of my head. There will undoubtedly be more I have missed.
It should be mentioned that M. Peeters has already mentioned that the archive of M. Goddin's personal research papers has already been preserved, in anticipation of it being made available to others to carry on his work, which will undoubtedly lead to further interesting research by a new generation of scholars.

We have lost a great, but we will continue together in his footsteps!