When the joke's on Tintin

These forums are full of people who have researched Tintin so much that I'm sure that some of you can point out the sequences where the joke was on Tintin, as opposed to Haddock or the Thompsons for example.

The one I can readily recall is the sequence in "Shooting Star" where Tintin is getting a whiff of fresh sea breeze and he gets sprayed all over and walks away bemused!

They certainly occur far more frequently in the pre-Haddock books, but there must be dozens.

My fave is Tintin looking upwards in Tibet and getting a face full of rotten fruit, a rare post-Haddock moment.

Now I recall that in "The Cigars" Tintin runs away from those warders of the Mental Hospital he makes two of them slip on a banana peel and he slips up when he attempts the same with a third -- with the result that he ends up in a straight-jacket!

Those pre-Haddock books had more of the slapstick element as well!

I love Tintin’s inability to resist the salesmanship of Signor Oliveira da Figuera!

I love Tintin’s inability to resist the salesmanship of Signor Oliveira da Figuera!

Agreed. da Figuera is a wonderful character, probably (along with Alcazar) my favourite.

Regarding the 'joke on Tintin' thing, does the scene in Seven Crystal Balls count where he gets his hand crushed by Professor Tarragon? It happens to everyone I know, but it's still relatively unusual to find instances of such a thing happening to Tintin.

I know it's a total un-Tintin like moment, but what about that scene in "The Broken Ear", when Tintin gets drunk in front of the firing squad?

MoonRocket:

I know it's a total un-Tintin like moment, but what about that scene in "The Broken Ear", when Tintin gets drunk in front of the firing squad?

Yes. That's a funny moment all right. If you consider Tintin getting drunk unconsciously, what about the scene in the "Crab with the Golden Claws" in the underground cellars where Tintin inhales the fumes of the wine and starts dancing? That sequence was really funny! Ironically Haddock comes out of his stupor earlier than Tintin when Allan's gangsters grab his bottle away from him!

And Tintin keeps asking him to "Seek! Seek!"

Really a humourous sequence, that!

harishankar noted: Ironically Haddock comes out of his stupor earlier than Tintin when Allan's gangsters grab his bottle away from him!

But have you noticed how quickly Tintin sobers up? After Omar Ben Salaad fires the gun and Tintin gets hit on the head by some falling ceiling debris he innocently says “who is this man?” A clear case of a blackout!

Yes possibly that knock to the head could have shook him out of his drunken state.

Jack

Actually I think he shakes out of his drunkenness when the shot is fired by Ben Salaad in the air. You can see in that frame that his eyes show the surprise.