Tintin and politics

Hello all, I've just discovered the Tintinologist forums and thought I would add a quick opinion on a discussion that seems to have a lot of coverage: that of Tintin, Herge, and politics.

Herge receives a great deal of criticism for his early work: alleged collaboration with occupying forces during the Second World War, and also the dubious subject matter of some of the books (Tintin Au Congo being the most obvious).

However, one aspect of the Tintin books that I enjoy is the way in which Tintin's character changes and becomes more anti-establishment as the series progresses. From being a monarchist (King Ottokar's Sceptre), a colonialist (Congo) and a general in a military coup (Broken Ear) he morphs into a friend of the gypsies (Castafiore Emerald) and a CND campaigner (Picaros).

This change in tone redeems Herge and Tintin, in my opinion.

Best wishes,

Rob

It’s an interesting proposition, rdhs100, but it could be countered by saying that Hergé was a bit of an opportunist, a political butterfly without a true cause, leaving Tintin swinging in the wind and attaching himself to whatever was the cause of the moment.

I’m not saying that I think that myself, only that the same evidence could be used in a different fashion.