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TINTIN, a cartoon character loved by the world, has his 92nd birthday on January 10, 2021. The young Belgian journalist created by cartoonist Herge has traveled to many places, even to the Moon. To celebrate Tintin’s birthday, check out seven interesting facts about this iconic character.
1. Tintin’s first comic, entitled “Tintin in the Soviets”, first published in 1930, introduces the reader to Tintin’s dog, Snowy, Haddock’s captain and Calculus professor. Quoted from Latestly, Tintin’s comics have been published in more than 70 languages.
2. Although Neil Armstrong was the first person from the face of the earth to set foot on the moon, in fact Tintin has been described as arriving there much longer. In the story “Expedition to the Moon,” Herge presents the results of his in-depth research on the possibility of humans going to the moon. This space adventure story was published weekly in Tintin Magazine between 1952 and 1953, 15 years before humans could actually set foot on the moon.
3. Tintin’s dog, Snowy, has won the hearts of many. He is Tintin’s loyal companion, and is often a savior. Like Tintin, Snowy was brave too. He would lick Tintin’s face in his sleep as a warning sign for danger. His popularity even made Snowy made cameo appearances in famous shows, such as “The Simpsons” and “South Park”.
4. Herge tells the countries in Tintin’s adventure for real even though he had never visited them in person when making them. It wasn’t until 1971 that he and his wife decided to travel to the United States and Taiwan, but he had never visited the Congo or the Soviets.
5. Herge made a cameo in the comics and on Tintin’s shows. He was a reporter who interviewed Tintin, barkeepers, film crew, and passengers on the train Tintin rode.
6. The world of Tintin is male-dominated. The protagonist and his friends are all boys, except for opera singer Bianca Castafiore.
7. In the original version of the comic Tintin, which is written in French, Tintin’s dog is named Milou, after Herge’s nickname for his first lover, Marie-Louise Van Cutsem. [antaranew /photo special]
