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Post by rossn on May 21, 2020 8:48:35 GMT -5
#8 - Flight 714: I have very mixed feelings about this one. As I said before I loved it when I was young and there still is a great deal I love about it. The first half of the book is top tier classic Tintin adventure up there with the likes of the Calculus Affair and with even better art. It is clever, characterful and funny with maybe the best one page sight gag in the series Laszlo Carreidas making an immediately memorable not-quite an antagonist - you won't like him but you'll certainly remember him. Roberto Rastapopoulos and Allan both make their last appearance here (excepting the possible role in the unfinished Alph-Art) and they are very entertaining, if a little defanged. Where the book falls down to me is the sudden swerve into 'Chariots of the Gods' territory. I'm not entirely against aliens existing in the Tintin-verse and their role here feels very period appropriate for the sixties and seventies but they quickly puncture any tension in what until this point been a spirited adventure, rob Tintin and his friends of agency and come across as rather unsettling in a way that I don't think was entirely intentional. A book of high highs and low lows here. #7 - The Seven Crystal Balls: An intriguing little mystery with some lovely character work and some surprisingly insightful commentary on the ethics of archaeology vs grave-robbing. It is overshadowed by the second book in the 'Inca Duology' but there really is a lot here to work with one of the most sustained comedic setpieces in Tintin where Captain Haddock all but demolishes a theatre and a great sense of eeriness throughout. #6 - The Blue Lotus: Widely regarded as the moment the Tintin books 'grew their beard' The Blue Lotus is a dazzling triumph of artistry, research and searing political commentary about then then contemporary Japanese invasion of China. It is also the emotional peak of the series with the possible exception Tintin in Tibet (which requires reading this book first to really appreciate it.) Globetrotting, exotic locales, a genuinely memorable and dangerous villain, excitement, heart... really the only flaw in the book is that the humour is a little thinner on the ground here for the simple reason that it would clash with the tone. Still a definite masterpiece. #5 - The Calculus Affair: Strangely enough I have very little memory of reading this as a child, though I must have done. I can't think why I have forgotten it since it is so very good, a classic Cold War era action adventure espionage with lots of comedy - this is Tintin does North by Northwest. In fact except for The Castafiore Emerald, which is a pure comedy, this might be the funniest book in the series. That Hergé could marry all this to a genuinely exciting plot about spies, counterspies and secret weapons is remarkable. Even with the condemnation of the arms race it is still a light read, which probably makes it feel less deep but it is all marked by a breezy pace from an artist and writer at the top of his powers. #4 - Prisoners of the Sun: With one exception Prisoners is the epitome of the 'Tintin as explorer' subgenre. This is an unashamedly pulpy story of globetrotting and exotic locales, this time extending to outright hidden cities. The pulpy atmosphere is only increased by the first absolutely overt appearance of what had merely been hinted at in The Seven Crystal Balls - the paranormal. With stunning art and a lively pace this story is amazing, though as Confessor pointed out the treatment of the Peruvian people can now feel a little dated. #3 - King Ottokar's Sceptre: The pinnacle of the 'solo Tintin' era, Hergé's tribute to The Prisoner of Zenda is as beautiful and intricate as the traditional uniforms of the Syldavian royal guards. For the first time Hergé let his imagination free in conjuring up a very real seeming Balkan kingdom that also served as a setting for high adventure and a neat stand in for the Austrian Anchluss. I've always loved the period feel so many Tintin stories give and this book, though inspired by a novel from the 1890s feels indelibly of it's time. It is impressive stuff and a real personal favourite for me. #2 - The Castafiore Emerald: The most divisive of Tintin books and as much as I love it I can really see why so many people don't. For me is simply a marvellously funny and entertaining character study of our heroes at home and how they deal with a domestic crisis that they can't punch or outwit themselves out of. it is an entertaining comedy manners that suffers only so much in that you need to be innately familiar with the characters - I'd never recommend this to anyone as their first Tintin book! #1 - Red Rackham's Treasure: Nostalgia is a strange and powerful beast. Objectively speaking I'd probably say that The Calculus Affair is a better book than Red Rackham's Treasure - funnier, with crisper art and more action. Yet I prefer Red Rackham's Treasure. Partly it is that amazing cover with Tintin and Snowy in their shark-shaped submersible beneath the waves in a richly textured green-blue world. Partly it is the introduction of Professor Calculus and the purchase of Marlinspike Hall which is the moment all of the elements of Tintin finally click into place. But I guess what appeals to me most is the sheer sense of romance of the story. This is our heroes going on an old fashioned treasure expedition to some undiscovered corner of the map. It is a wonderfully appealing, escapist notion and Hergé paints the picture very well with comedy and character beats. It helps enormously that this such a good looking book with its tropical islands, its multicoloured fish and jellyfish swimming through the brine and the great set piece of the sunken Unicorn herself. It just brings together everything I love about these books - adventure, friendship, comedy, wanderlust. I think there are books in the series that are better than Red Rackham's Treasure at any one thing, but for me the heady mix of this book sums up everything when I think of the name Tintin.
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Post by rossn on May 21, 2020 6:49:19 GMT -5
#16 - Land of Black Gold: Given the complicated series of delays and re-writes that Black Gold underwent it is remarkable how well stitched together the end result feels, with Hergé even poking fun at how implausible the re-appearance of Captain Haddock is. It will never be one of my favourites - a little too dry in both narrative and setting and the dark atmosphere of the start falls away anti-climactically, a victim no doubt of the real life issues behind the book but it is always good to see Doctor Müller (still Tintin's most dangerous enemy in my view) and I especially love Oliveira de Figueira's method of distraction via storytelling!
#15 - The Black Island: There is a lot to like about this book and I hesitated about putting this book so low in the rankings because objectively it is probably better to some stories I ranked higher. Still, subjectively I've never quite warmed to it as much as some people because of two related issues that I can't even really call flaws because they are intentional. Most of this book is set in England and Scotland and as I am Irish that immediately removes a certain... exoticism from the story that is present in most of the other stories, even in those set in Belgium. I am just too familiar with Britain to have that sense of escapism. The other, related issue, is that the art was updated in the 1960s and not only does that further erode the exotic flavour (to my eyes) but it sits jarringly with a story that has a very strong Thirties feel and sits between two very Thirties stories. As I said I recognise that my objections are more subjective with this one and it really is objectively a good and exciting yarn, well told.
#14 - Destination Moon: Even more than Black Island I get that my take is very subjective here and both books of the 'Lunar Duology' have much to recommend them. And yet... I suppose as I said in reply to Confessor's review these books just leave me cold. I'm just not interested in the space race or rocketry so all the meticulous research Hergé is showing off feels more exhausting than fascinating to me personally. There is a drab and sterile air to this book too with so much of the action taking place in grim and barren mountains or in the industrial bowels of concrete laboratories where everyone is wearing jumpsuits. Fr someone who loves Tintin in great part because of the wonderful background art of exotic locales this all feels claustrophobic, even depressing. I respect what this book does without really liking it.
#13 - Explorers on the Moon: My feelings on Explorers are almost identical to those on Destination but I rate Explorers higher because of its greater tension and excitement and the remarkable pathos of Wolff's sacrifice. Neither volume will ever be my 'go-to' Tintin but this one moves me far more.
#12 - The Shooting Star: The first quarter to a third of this book have an incredibly dark and oppressive atmosphere. As others like Harry Thompson have noted this feels like a book written in wartime where the occupiers are close at hand and there is a real sense of helplessness. After that we shift into more an adventure yarn, thrilling and well told (and featuring maybe my favourite Captain Haddock moment ever - 'Nice little breeze isn't it?') but not as groundbreaking as the opening act. Not that I would want the fear and despair to continue exactly just that the shift is tonally weird. Even so this is classic Tintin as explorer work with some unique and memorable art - giant spiders and exploding mushrooms and Tintin and Snowy trapped on a sinking island.
#11 - The Secret of the Unicorn: Even in 1943 I'm sure this felt like a throwback to the 'Tintin as detective' stories when he had already transitioned into more of an apolitical explorer figure. With the benefit of hindsight it gives the book a strangely nostalgic air - in some respects this is the last we see of the pre-war Tintin living alone as he will soon move away from Labrador Road to Marlinspike Hall. The highlight of the book is naturally the amazing flashback scenes to Sir Francis Haddock and his escapades. Exposition and build up for the next book but by God is it fun exposition!
#10 - The Broken Ear: This book weaves together so much of what made the early classic era memorable - a lot of humour (including the wonderfully dark joke where Tintin is rescued from a firing squad only to be immediately re-arrested because the revolution is in such flux), exotic locales and timely political satire. The Arumbaya fetish is arguably the first truly iconic object of the series and there is a strong pulp era vibe that gives the story a whiff of Indiana Jones. Where this falls down is in the art which varies widely from the excellent to the surprisingly slapdash - excluding the never colourised Soviets this is probably the most uneven looking book in the run.
#9 - Tintin in Tibet: A wonderful, frequently beautiful book that is also the most emotional of Tintin tales. The humour and action are, understandably, toned down here and to get the most 'oopmh' out the volume you really have to have read The Blue Lotus but this is still the most heartfelt Tintin book even if it is not the most exciting or funniest. Also, yeti!
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rossn
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Post by rossn on May 21, 2020 5:15:16 GMT -5
Since we've finished this is my personal ranking of the books from worst to best, excluding the non-canonical Lake of Sharks and Alph-Art. I've split it into multiple posts due to sheer length.
#23 - Tintin in the Congo: The worst book in the series by far (yes, worse than it's predecessor.) Congo is understandably seen as an uncomfortable book due to its outdated attitudes towards African people and wild animals but it also commits the sin of being sinfully boring, almost entirely plot free and lacking in Herge's biting satire. A few jokes are sort of funny and the art in the colourised version has its moments but overall it is bottom of the pile.
#22 - Tintin in the Land of the Soviets: The earliest Tintin book has many of the same flaws as Congo, and the primitive (if sometimes striking) art style makes it hard to compare to any of the other books. I'd still rate it higher than Congo because it genuinely feels more fun with an absurdist streak of satire and action.
#21 - Tintin in America: This feels like a major step up from the first two books and if it still has the 'random events' plotting of very early Tintin it is much funnier and full of pitch black satire with the likes of the Grind Co. and the missing pet posters festooning their walls. Bobby Smiles is not the most interesting or charismatic villain in the franchise but he serves his purpose. Some lovely art in this one too.
#20 - The Crab with the Golden Claws: Possibly the weakest volume of the classic years Crab would be quickly forgotten if not for the first appearance of Captain Haddock and to a much lesser extent Allan. Coming between the densely plotted satire and political commentary of the immediate pre-war period and the grand pulpy, exploration stories of the Forties Crab feels so lightweight and unmoored in time period. At least some of the art is quite beautiful, particularly the big splash panels and I can forgive a lot for introducing one of my favourite characters ever.
#19 - Cigars of the Pharaoh: Much like the later Crab, Cigars feels rather thin and without Captain Haddock it is also one of the least humorous volumes in the series, with even the freshly introduced Thompson and Thomson mysteriously serious and competent. Despite being a rather dry read and with a simple plot it feels rather more fun than Crab - this is proper pulpy globe trotting adventure with an exciting climactic chase of the bad guy, an eerie henchman with some weird powers, some weirder dream sequences and stunning and exotic locales. A perfect read for a rainy weekend when you are ten or twelve.
#18 - The Red Sea Sharks: I said in reply to Confessor's great review that Sharks was essentially 'generic post-war Tintin' and it really is. Hergé had collected a series of shorter plotlines and character beats from almost every recurring character in the series and assembled them into a thin and patched together story. Yes the art is fantastic (Mosquito attack aeroplanes!) and there is some fun to be had in seeing familiar faces tied together but this is just a weaker book sadly. The portrayal of the African Muslim pilgrims doesn't help - I'd be a little more forgiving of a book from early in the run but Sharks is from the mid to late Fifties!
#17 - Tintin and the Picaros: Last is not quite least but Picaros does not feel like a fitting end to the series (and of course it wasn't meant to be.) This an absolutely ravishing book artistically, ably capturing the look of the Seventies and as a fan of the Milanese Nightingale it is always fun to see her, but with the reappearance of both Col. Sponz and San Theodoros this story inevitably feels like a bit of a retread. There is also a strange mean spiritedness and cynicism at play - as Confessor noted our hero feels very passive and rather unheroic here.
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rossn
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Post by rossn on May 21, 2020 4:39:26 GMT -5
Well said! Would you be up for tackling Asterix by any chance? Another great blast of euro-comic nostalgia and I'd love to see your take on it! Unfortunately, I've never liked Asterix, I'm afraid. I just don't get its appeal. I didn't like it as a youngster, and I tried to read one of the books (I forget which one) about 8 or 9 years back and it still did nothing for me. Ah, okay understood. Like Lake of Sharks was another book I never read, though in this case I think it as much to do with not wanting the Tintin saga to 'end'. I know it seems silly but on some level if there is a real Tintin book out there (even or maybe especially a half complete one) on an emotional level it feels like the adventure is continuing somewhere out there. Yeah, I get that. That's why I don't mind the fact that Alph-Art ends on a cliff-hanger. In some ways, I think we're better off not knowing how this story was supposed to end. As I said in my review, it allows each of us to conjure any ending we want, or, as you say, to believe that he's still out there solving mysteries somewhere. The romantic in me also finds the idea of Tintin with a girlfriend cool - Martine Vandezande for the win! Yeah, it's hard to get your head around, isn't it? I mean, just the fact that a young, attractive woman was given a speaking part in a Tintin book is hard enough to believe. But that surprising fact alone makes me seriously consider the possibility that Martine may've been intended as a love interest for Tintin. Well said about better off with the endings we can imagine and the noteworthiness of a young attractive woman having lines in a volume.
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Post by rossn on May 20, 2020 15:11:27 GMT -5
Tintin and Alph-Art (French: Tintin et l'alph-art) Original publication: 1986 Expanded edition: 2004 Author: Hergé Tintin visits: Belgium (Marlinspike, Brussels), Italy (Naples, the island of Ischia), Saboulistan. Overall rating: N/A Like Lake of Sharks was another book I never read, though in this case I think it as much to do with not wanting the Tintin saga to 'end'. I know it seems silly but on some level if there is a real Tintin book out there (even or maybe especially a half complete one) on an emotional level it feels like the adventure is continuing somewhere out there. I will say based on your description it sounds a fascinating muddle of ideas. I'm not really into the art world so that aspect perhaps leaves me a little cold but it would have been fascinating to see a Tintin book tackling the 1980s, given how strong the period feel is in so many other stories. The romantic in me also finds the idea of Tintin with a girlfriend cool - Martine Vandezande for the win!
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rossn
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Post by rossn on May 20, 2020 14:43:48 GMT -5
Another great overview Confessor. Definitely going to miss these. Thank you, rossn. Yeah, I know what you mean. This has been a fun thread. On the one hand I'm glad to be done with it (finally!), but on the other, it's been a really plesurable experience and it's sad to se that end. Well said! Would you be up for tackling Asterix by any chance? Another great blast of euro-comic nostalgia and I'd love to see your take on it!
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Post by rossn on May 17, 2020 15:27:03 GMT -5
So, dear friends, this brings me to the end of my Tintin reviews. Sorry that it has taken 3 years or more to get there, but I hope you've all enjoyed the ride, in spite of the sporadic nature of the reviews. I want to say a big thank you to all the forum members who have posted in this thread and helped make it such good fun. Special mention must go to Roquefort Raider , rossn , and profh0011 for their thought-provoking responses to my reviews. For me, this has been a fantastic opportunity to re-visit these beloved comics, and, in having to organise my thoughts about each album in a critical manner, I've come to know the series much more deeply than I did before. That, in itself, has been a joy. Still working my way through the reviews but I just wanted to say thanks for all your wonderful work here! I've had a great, thoughtful and nostalgic time reading these!
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Post by rossn on May 17, 2020 15:24:25 GMT -5
Tintin and the Picaros (French: Tintin et les Picaros) Original publication dates: September 1975 – April 1976 First collected edition: 1976 Author: Hergé Tintin visits: Belgium (Marlinspike), San Theodoros (Tapoicapolis, Hotuatabotl, Arumbaya village). Overall rating: Another great overview Confessor. Definitely going to miss these. It is very interesting you notice Tintin seems a little less heroic here. A few years ago a blogger I read wrote an overview of the Tintin books and he was one of the first people I've read to advance the theory that Captain Haddock had become the viewpoint character of the 'Tintin' universe by the latter books. I've read that theory in other places but he went further and suggested that Captain Haddock was actually the more heroic character by the end, specifically citing the unwanted alcohol 'cure' in Tintin and the Picaros. I'm not sure I'd personally go that far but I do very much agree with you that it is distasteful that Professor Calculus should given his cure to Captain Haddock within his knowledge. Such a move might have been weakly justifiable if Archibald was in the sort of pitiful state he was in The Crab with the Golden Claws where his alcoholism was an immediate danger to himself and others but for a long time he has had it under control. That said I find it hard to stay mad at Professor Calculus. He might have terrible taste in women (Peggy Alcazar is a clear step down from the Milanese Nightingale, not exactly a traditional object of affection herself) but the fact that he has romantic inclinations, his knowledge of martial arts and many and varied interests from ballooning to botany to rocketry to dowsing make me wonder what he was like as a younger man. Was this eccentric, deaf and rather vain and ageing eccentric once a globe trotting adventurer in his own right, more Dr. Henry Jones jnr. than Marcus Brody? Well... perhaps that goes a little far but I do wonder... I think you make a great point that elements meant to modernise Tintin somehow long him far more into a certain period than the timeless feel of Calculus's Edwardian outfit or the Thom(p)son twins with their bowlers and umbrellas. There is a strong 1970s feel to this volume, which is kind of fun and makes for some breathtaking art but leaves me oddly unsatisfied. I suppose I just find the pulpy era of the 1930s and 1940s just intrinsically and aesthetically more interesting. Plus much of the appeal of the series for me is that of visiting exotic locales. San Theodoros is not only a place we've been to before the very act of modernising it has weakened the exotic flavour it once had. The Broken Ear is an odd book in many ways and certainly inferior in art to this 'sequel' but I can honestly say I preferred our first trip there. As a child I like this one a lot, partly I think because of the top notch art and because General Alcazar, one of my favourite re-curring characters was around. Now it feels a little empty, though I can't praise the art enough and some of the jokes and character beats are great. I wasn't thrilled by the tonal shift in Flight 714 but I found it exciting, funny and engrossing. Tintin and the Picaros feels like a step down. While I appreciate the fact that Herge was trying to modernise his heroes and trying to show that some problems can't be fixed with the wave of a magic wand the cynicism didn't appeal to me. I like my Tintin more heroic.
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Post by rossn on May 16, 2020 12:52:51 GMT -5
It sounds like it, though I am tempted to check it out at some point. It's a better read than Tintin in the Land of the Soviets or Tintin in the Congo. That's damning it with faint praise, I know, but still... I'll definitely have to rank the books. I have some thoughts on Tintin and the Picaros which I'll get to soon.
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Post by rossn on May 16, 2020 12:50:41 GMT -5
THE CALCULUS AFFAIRThis one I didn't like much at all. For the 2nd time, Calculus is KIDNAPPED, this time to coerce him into turning over an invention, and, by 2 different countries-- one of which he helped get TO THE MOON. WTF??? And then there's this absolutely unmittigated A-HOLE of an insurance salesman, who loves the sound of his own voice so much nothing anyone else ever says ever gets thru his concrete-enforced skull. Mixed in there is the usual series of bad guys trying to derail the efforts of the heroes. The one ray of sunshine in the entire book, for me, was Signora Castafiora, who, despite a curious inability to get the Captain's name right (I did find it amusing she mistook him for "a fisherman"), did go out of her way to protect Tintin from the baddies. It's not an exact comparison... but she reminds me of Margaret Dumont. The other fun part, for me, was when someone mentioned "measles", and THAT, finally, got thru to Wagg's insanely-thick head, inspiring his entire ugly brood to clear off. Interesting fan casting. I liked the book more than you did but I did notice the Syldavians were portrayed more cynically. I wondered if there had been a change of government in Klow that saw the moon project as a scandalous waste of resources and had soured on Tintin & Co. We do know that Syldavia and Bodouria have always had their tensions and seem to have gotten even worse.
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Post by rossn on May 15, 2020 14:58:37 GMT -5
One thing that does interest me is that the story sounds like the 'standard' Tintin adventure tale we haven't really since way back in the The Red Sea Sharks. Every more recent book was more experimental - the very personal Tintin in Tibet, the comedy of manners/'Tintin at home' The Castafiore Emerald and the genre/tone bending Flight 714. In context Lake of Sharks feels like a deliberate throwback to the less complex classic adventures. That's pretty much spot on, yes. It is definitely a throwback to the more classic style of Tintin adventure, even if it never quite comes close to the quality of Hergé's best work. It sounds like it, though I am tempted to check it out at some point. Thinking about it I think part of my mixed reaction to Flight 714 is that the first half of that story (before the aliens enter the picture) is an excellent 'classic' style story in its right, zippier, funnier and more exciting than The Red Sea Sharks. I like Herge's later experimental books but it feels like the 'classic' adventures could have ended on a higher high than Sharks.
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Post by rossn on May 13, 2020 8:05:24 GMT -5
Tintin and the Lake of Sharks (French: Tintin et le lac aux requins) Original publication dates: December 1972 – January 1973 First collected edition: 1973 Story: Greg (a.k.a. Michel Régnier) Artwork: Bob de Moor (with help from the Studios Hergé team) Tintin visits: Syldavia (Klow, Lake Pollishoff). Overall rating: Well this is a surprise! I suppose I had heard of this book, but I don't think I ever owned it even though I was very much a Tintinologist when I was young, so it is fascinating to get an insight into what is technically i suppose the Tintin Expanded Universe. From what you say it doesn't sound like I missed much. As you note Confessor some of the expressions do look very harsh, though I agree the newspaper comic looks quite nice and as you say 'authentic'. One thing that does interest me is that the story sounds like the 'standard' Tintin adventure tale we haven't really since way back in the The Red Sea Sharks. Every more recent book was more experimental - the very personal Tintin in Tibet, the comedy of manners/'Tintin at home' The Castafiore Emerald and the genre/tone bending Flight 714. In context Lake of Sharks feels like a deliberate throwback to the less complex classic adventures.
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Post by rossn on May 7, 2020 14:34:42 GMT -5
Of those listed Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? which is a wonderful story. My actual personal favourite is probably this one though:
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Post by rossn on May 3, 2020 17:16:02 GMT -5
Flight 714 (French: Vol 714 pour Sydney) Original publication dates: September 1966 – November 1967 First collected edition: 1968 Author: Hergé Tintin visits: Indonesia (Djakarta), Celebes Sea (the island of Pulau-pulau Bompa). Overall rating: Slowly catching up! Another great overview Confessor! You really went in deep on this one, and I can't quibble with any of your analysis. Flight 714 was a great favourite of mine as a kid and is the only book I own to have survived all the way to adulthood, though I suspect that is as much accident as design. Re-reading it as an adult I still enjoyed it, but I think it has slipped slightly in my personal rankings over the years. I think part of the reason I'm a little less happy with it now is the way the aliens abruptly render our heroes (and indeed villains) helpless. Unlike you Confessor I didn't really mind Tintin being sort of useless in The Castafiore Emerald partly because a domestic farce really isn't his world and partly because I noted before Emerald is really a Haddock-centric book more than a Tintin one. Plus I find Emerald hilarious. With Flight 714 this feels like Tintin really is in his element here until the aliens and their human stooge barge in. It isn't a situation I'm entirely happy with, even if I love Lazslo Carreidas's reaction to being asked why he has needle marks in his arms while the others don't. Carreidas is hilarious throughout, his aircrew are surprisingly memorable given their limited page time and I find the treatment of Rastapopoulos and Allan amusing, even if I concede it robs them of menace. The art is quite wonderful too, both the sight gags (Captain Haddock unwittingly killing a plant!) and the action shots, and the aeroplane itself is amazing. As for the aliens... well you are entirely right it fits in with the period and the more esoteric sort of Tintin we've seen in certain stories. I noted the Bernard Heuvelmans-inspired Yeti in Tintin in Tibet. That said I'm a little less interested in the aliens. Partly I suppose I'm just less interested in sci-fi outside of space opera like Star Wars and my tastes for the paranormal run more towards the eerie pulpy magic we saw in the Incan-dulology and cryptids like the Yeti. I think I mentioned in an earlier review that while I admired the work and talent in the lunar books they personally left me cold. The other thing that bothers me - and I suspect this draws on my annoyance that the aliens stole Tintin's thunder here - is that the aliens and Mik Kanrokitoff seem a little more sinister now that I'm reading it as a jaded, cynic in his late thirties. They do 'save' our heroes but they also brainwash everyone into forgetting they were there and carry Rastapopoulos & co. off to an uncertain fate. It is sort of disturbing that they seem to have this sort of high handed ability to do with they will without having to justify it for themselves. There is also some uncomfortable aspects to Kanrokitoff who seems to be working directly for the aliens. Is he their spy? This is a good book and I like it a lot, but I definitely prefer the first half. Edit: Oh and I forgot to mention but thanks for pointing out Snowy escaped hypnosis Confessor! Shades of R2-D2 indeed!
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Post by rossn on Apr 13, 2020 4:52:51 GMT -5
The Castafiore Emerald (French: Les Bijoux de la Castafiore) Original publication dates: July 1961 – September 1962 First collected edition: 1963 Author: Hergé Tintin visits: Belgium (Marlinspike). Overall rating: As with Tintin in Tibet I have vague memories of reading this as a child but it doesn't have the nostalgic potency of (say) Red Rackham's Treasure. Even so, having read this book as an adult it is easily in my top five in the series - which is weird since it lacks most of the elements my other favourite books have. There is no trip to an exotic locale (though I suppose a mid-century mansion is a little exotic at this point), there are no significant villains or thrilling action scenes and the suspense ends up being constantly deflated. I've mentioned before that one of my very favourite Tintin books is King Ottokar's Sceptre, a gorgeous piece of worldbuilding, political commentary and thrills. It is hard to imagine a book written and illustrated by the same man and featuring the same hero and much of the same cast that has less in common with this story. Still I love this work. It is an artistic triumph, a strong character piece and very, very funny. As you rightly put it Confessor The Castafiore Emerald is a farce. Luckily I love farce and the likes of Fawlty Towers or Frasier are great pleasures of mine. The slapstick, humiliations, crossed communications and so on are expertly woven into the characters. Arguably I'd say this is the funniest book in series with Captain Haddock's terrified reaction to his impending visitor a real highlight for me ( 'All hands on deck! Abandon ship! Every man for himself! I'm off!'). Speaking of Captain Haddock I mentioned before that some reviewers Tintinologists think that he had really become the central character by this point and you can really see it in this book. Captain Haddock invites the Roma to stay at Marlinspike, the Milanese Nightingale and Jolyon Wagg come to see him and the paparazzi conjure a marriage between him and Bianca Castafiore out of misunderstanding and their own imaginations. The good Captain has been the deuteragonist of the saga since at least The Secret of the Unicorn but in Emerald he is the focus. Poor Captain Haddock really goes through the wringer during this story and by the end I'm sure he was longing for the days when an errant bit of sticky plaster was the height of his woes. Sharing the limelight to a degree we haven't quite seen before is Professor Calculus. Cuthbert Calculus has been a key figure of the group almost as long as Haddock and several stories would have been impossible without him but Emerald gives us another view of the man who conquered the moon. Previously the vast majority of jokes with Calculus had revolved around his deafness and to a lesser degree his absent mindedness, but here we see a man with a rather romantic streak who grows champion roses and flirts with Signora Castafiore (and I agree that it is fascinating that Calculus of all people is the one person in the books with an apparent sex drive.) He has elements of the temper we've seen before and clearly considers himself the most sensible man at Marlinspike, calling Captain Haddock an 'old gossip' and complaining about the installation of television without his knowledge. His useless and possibly dangerous attempt at television is admittedly a bit of filler but I do think it serves as a marvelous reminder that the brilliant scientist whose invention was so dangerous it nearly started a war is also wonderfully eccentric (we also get Haddock's superbly sarcastic 'you old pioneer' line.) Then we get the Milanese Nightingale herself. We've talked before about the limited number of female characters in Hergé and Emerald is the only volume where a woman is a member of the cast. Bianca Castafiore rises effortlessly to task. She's a very funny character and an absolutely dominating one but we also get reminders that there is more to her than simply a diva and an airhead as she laughs off the tabloid story about her 'marriage' to Captain Haddock. In some ways she can navigate this world better than anyone else in this story. With Thompson and Thomson, Castafiore and her crew, Nestor, the various representatives of the media and the Roma around Emerald is almost as crowded as The Red Sea Sharks and the loser is Tintin himself. It is true our hero is 'onscreen' a lot but in many pages is slightly adrift of the action. With so much emphasis on confusion and comedy his detective and reporter skills are oddly less useful. In a strange way the luckless Captain Haddock and the eccentric Professor Calculus are simply more 'at home' when home than their adventurer friend. There is also a feeling that the modern world is advancing on our main cast. The dreaded Jolyon Wagg, the most hopelessly modern and mundane figure in Tintin has a significant role (at least unill until his wonderful defeat at the hands of the Milanese Nightingale who can simply slam the door in his face in a way the Captain would never have dared.) Television as Professor Calculus has noted has invaded the familiar grounds of Marlinspike. I can completely understand why a lot of fans are left cold by this book and admit I'm glad that it is really the only one of its kind in the line up. I like my globe trotting, mystery solving, criminal punching Tintin. Still as a change of pace, experiment and a chance to let some of the supporting players shine there is a lot I enjoy about it.
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