NayKray The Short Answer: It's a Bootleg The "Carb" and "Farshare" typos are the most famous "smoking guns" in the world of counterfeit Tintin books. These are not official misprints from the legitimate publisher; they are produced by unauthorized printers, primarily distributed through third-party sellers on sites like Amazon, eBay, and various regional marketplaces. 1. The "Farshare" Giveaway The official UK publisher of Tintin is Farshore (an imprint of HarperCollins). In 2021, the publisher rebranded from "Egmont" to "Farshore." Counterfeiters tried to update their copies to match the new branding but misspelled the name as Farshare. Note on your "2018" date: Even if the book says "2018" inside, the "Farshore" branding didn't exist until 2021. This date discrepancy is another major red flag that the copyright page has simply been copied and pasted by the bootleggers. 2. The "CARB" with the Golden Claws The typo "THE CARB WITH THE GOLDEN CLAWS" on the spine is a classic error found in these specific pirated sets. While a genuine misprint from a real publisher can sometimes increase a book's value, a typo on a counterfeit book generally makes it worth significantly less than a legitimate copy. How to verify it's a fake: If you look closely at your book, you will likely notice these other common issues with the "Farshare" editions: Print Quality: The line art may look slightly blurry or pixelated, and the colors are often much darker or "muddier" than the originals. Paper Quality: The pages are usually thinner and may feel more like cheap magazine paper rather than the high-quality, thick paper used in official editions. The Smell: Many of these bootleg sets have a very strong, distinct chemical or "petroleum" smell due to the cheap industrial ink used in the printing process. The Box: If it came in a box set, the cardboard is usually much thinner and more prone to tearing than the sturdy official Farshore box. Is it rare? Sadly, no. While it's a "rare" occurrence in official publishing, there are thousands of these counterfeit sets in circulation right now. They are often sold for a fraction of the retail price (e.g., $50 for a full set vs. the $150+ for a real one). What to do next: If you bought this recently from a major platform like Amazon or eBay, you should report it as a "counterfeit item." These platforms have strict policies against pirated goods and will almost always grant you a full refund. Community Tip: If you want a guaranteed genuine set, look for books with the Egmont or Mammoth logos on the spine. These older editions are rarely faked and the print quality is superb! |