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Tintin: Hergé and His Creation
The little black and white cartoon figure of Tintin first appeared in Belgium in 1929, in a Catholic newspaper where his creator, Hergé, worked. Harry Thompson looks at the story of Hergé, of Tintin and his origins, and beyond to when President de Gaulle could call Tintin 'his only rival'.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
Harry Thompson
57 books37 followersHarry William Thompson was an English radio and television producer, comedy writer, novelist and biographer. Early in his career Thompson produced the radio comedy programmes The News Quiz and The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Following his move into television, he produced Newman and Baddiel in Pieces, Harry Enfield and Chums and Monkey Dust, and co-produced Never Mind The Buzzcocks. In 1998 he was part of BBC Radio 4's 5-part political satire programme Cartoons, Lampoons, and Buffoons. During these productions he was able to gain exposure for a very large proportion of those who went on to become prominent figures in contemporary British comedy, including: Sacha Baron Cohen, Angus Deayton, Harry Enfield, Ricky Gervais, Nick Hancock, Ian Hislop, Mark Lamarr, Paul Merton and Paul Whitehouse. He was instrumental in the creation of the comic character Ali G for The 11 O'Clock Show, and as a comedy writer his credits included Da Ali G Show.
Thompson wrote biographies of Peter Cook, Richard Ingrams and Tintin creator Hergé. In June 2005, Thompson's only novel, entitled This Thing Of Darkness (a historical novel chronicling the life of Robert Fitzroy - later published in the United States as To The Edge Of The World), was published and long-listed for the Booker prize. He also wrote Penguins Stopped Play, an account of the attempt by his beloved cricket team, The Captain Scott Invitation XI, to tour all seven continents of the world.
Thompson wrote biographies of Peter Cook, Richard Ingrams and Tintin creator Hergé. In June 2005, Thompson's only novel, entitled This Thing Of Darkness (a historical novel chronicling the life of Robert Fitzroy - later published in the United States as To The Edge Of The World), was published and long-listed for the Booker prize. He also wrote Penguins Stopped Play, an account of the attempt by his beloved cricket team, The Captain Scott Invitation XI, to tour all seven continents of the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 4, 2015
Part biography, part reference guide, this is a magnificent companion book that deals with each Tintin book in its own clearly defined chapter.
What separates this one from the pack is the background that the author brings to each section, but without going into superfluous amounts of detail. The political and social events that impacted each book are examined, as well as influences on Hergé’s life at the time. Hergé’s artistic and professional development is followed as the series progresses, as well as his personal life and events that (probably) impacted his emotional state.
The effect that Tintin had on his creator’s life is enormous, and it seems to have been a love/hate relationship right to the end.
This book does not appear to be endorsed by the Hergé foundation, but it might as well be. Thompson brings an enormous amount of respect and passion to the table, and the book is obviously well researched.
Something that I particularly enjoyed was the information relating to some of the other artists that assisted Hergé with his work, in particular Edgar P. Jacobs and Bob De Moor.
If, like me, you were raised on Tintin, this is an absolute must read.
I am (as a direct result of this book) re-reading all the Tintin books and comparing each to its relevant chapter. Fantastic stuff!
5 Stars
Read as part of the must-read agreement with my wife – 2014
What separates this one from the pack is the background that the author brings to each section, but without going into superfluous amounts of detail. The political and social events that impacted each book are examined, as well as influences on Hergé’s life at the time. Hergé’s artistic and professional development is followed as the series progresses, as well as his personal life and events that (probably) impacted his emotional state.
The effect that Tintin had on his creator’s life is enormous, and it seems to have been a love/hate relationship right to the end.
This book does not appear to be endorsed by the Hergé foundation, but it might as well be. Thompson brings an enormous amount of respect and passion to the table, and the book is obviously well researched.
Something that I particularly enjoyed was the information relating to some of the other artists that assisted Hergé with his work, in particular Edgar P. Jacobs and Bob De Moor.
If, like me, you were raised on Tintin, this is an absolute must read.
I am (as a direct result of this book) re-reading all the Tintin books and comparing each to its relevant chapter. Fantastic stuff!
5 Stars
Read as part of the must-read agreement with my wife – 2014
March 12, 2023
This fascinating and revealing book combines a biography of the creator of Tintin, Herge (George Remi) with tracing the development of the Tintin albums.
We learn how Herge's personality, experiences and outlook shaped Tintin and his friends and foes, and some of the extraordinary happeings behind the scenes.
Tintin's pet dog Milou (in the original French) was named after a teenage sweetheart of Herge's.
We explore just how the character that is featureless, ageless, sexless and seemingly unburdened with a personality, has endeared millions and millions of fans across the world over several generations.
Children around the world still love Tintin today, as they did since the 1930s.
We learn of the political and historic events of some of the works, and the reflections of Herge's life and various experiences in others.
For example one powerful example of Herge's creativity are his celebrated dream sequences.
The episode of the anti-semitic stereotype of the international banker Bohlwinkel in The Shooting Star (The Adventures of Tintin), Herge insisted was a genuine error with no malicious intent, while Hitlerism and Fascism are clearly attacked in King Ottokar's Sceptre (Tintin).
In Cigars of the Pharoah (The Adventures of Tintin) "Rastapopulous and Snowy, in Egyptian dress, carry Tintin off, while Sarcophagus rocks the baby Tintin in a crib and smokes one of the Pharaoh's cigars. Tintinologists have long tried to find the hidden meaning in these dreams, but if anyone was dreaming then it wasn't Herge.
He merely used the illogic of dreams for comic effect. When Captain Haddock sat naked in an audience of parrots in The Castafiore Emerald (The Adventures of Tintin), for instance Herge was not interested in any subliminal meaning, only that he found the idea funny".
Then there is a whole geography that Herge invented, which is one of his greatest creative achievements.
" By the 1970s, it was posible for Tintin to board a plane in Sondonesia (not a million miles away from Indonesia)and fly to Khemed, a desert nation betwen Saudi Arabia and the Lebanon, which was curiously reminiscent of Jordan. Or he could visit the Bordurian capital Szohod, a merciless parody of a pre-glasnost East European city, right down to the many representations of the dictator Marshal Kurvi-Tasch, a figure with an uncanny resemblance to Stalin. Or perhaps Klow, the mineral water capital of the world, in a guardedly friendly but authoritarian Syldavia, whose mosques, hills and coastline look for all the world like Yugoslavia's". (I would say Albania).
An incredible insight into the mysteries behind Tintin and Herge.
One can return to read each of the Tintin adventures with renewed insight.
We learn how Herge's personality, experiences and outlook shaped Tintin and his friends and foes, and some of the extraordinary happeings behind the scenes.
Tintin's pet dog Milou (in the original French) was named after a teenage sweetheart of Herge's.
We explore just how the character that is featureless, ageless, sexless and seemingly unburdened with a personality, has endeared millions and millions of fans across the world over several generations.
Children around the world still love Tintin today, as they did since the 1930s.
We learn of the political and historic events of some of the works, and the reflections of Herge's life and various experiences in others.
For example one powerful example of Herge's creativity are his celebrated dream sequences.
The episode of the anti-semitic stereotype of the international banker Bohlwinkel in The Shooting Star (The Adventures of Tintin), Herge insisted was a genuine error with no malicious intent, while Hitlerism and Fascism are clearly attacked in King Ottokar's Sceptre (Tintin).
In Cigars of the Pharoah (The Adventures of Tintin) "Rastapopulous and Snowy, in Egyptian dress, carry Tintin off, while Sarcophagus rocks the baby Tintin in a crib and smokes one of the Pharaoh's cigars. Tintinologists have long tried to find the hidden meaning in these dreams, but if anyone was dreaming then it wasn't Herge.
He merely used the illogic of dreams for comic effect. When Captain Haddock sat naked in an audience of parrots in The Castafiore Emerald (The Adventures of Tintin), for instance Herge was not interested in any subliminal meaning, only that he found the idea funny".
Then there is a whole geography that Herge invented, which is one of his greatest creative achievements.
" By the 1970s, it was posible for Tintin to board a plane in Sondonesia (not a million miles away from Indonesia)and fly to Khemed, a desert nation betwen Saudi Arabia and the Lebanon, which was curiously reminiscent of Jordan. Or he could visit the Bordurian capital Szohod, a merciless parody of a pre-glasnost East European city, right down to the many representations of the dictator Marshal Kurvi-Tasch, a figure with an uncanny resemblance to Stalin. Or perhaps Klow, the mineral water capital of the world, in a guardedly friendly but authoritarian Syldavia, whose mosques, hills and coastline look for all the world like Yugoslavia's". (I would say Albania).
An incredible insight into the mysteries behind Tintin and Herge.
One can return to read each of the Tintin adventures with renewed insight.
February 27, 2018
Harry Thompson's warm regard for Herge and his creation extended to imitation: if there's such a thing as "ligne claire" criticism, this book is it. Crisp, lively, tight prose; bouncy good humour; judgements that are briefly expressed but incisive, and hardly a sentence wasted. It's a fine example of a critical biography, and one which presents a fair bit of technical detail in a very plain-spoken style. Doubly impressive that it manages to be a very good work of comics criticism with zero access to examples - as an unauthorised biographer, Thompson was unable to actually show any of the art he talks about.
The only place it falls down are some of the judgements themselves, particularly Thompson's desire to defend Herge from all of the frequent political criticism of his work. Herge's work has an anti-authoritarian streak which took comic aim at communist, capitalist and fascist in turn (as well as at the petit-bourgeois mediocrities who stopped the latter-day Herge enjoying a quiet life). But Herge the man was not quite so bold, and while his post-war criticism by people keen to root out collaborators may have been distressing and inconvenient, it doesn't seem entirely unjust given what many of those who didn't knuckle under had been through. Thompson is also very defensive on the question of Herge and race - after a paragraph of excruciating detail on how Tintin Au Congo presents its African characters as stupid, lazy, feckless, and servile he concludes that the depiction is "patronising... but not deliberately racist". If Tintin Au Congo isn't deliberately racist, very little is. Artists make mistakes and think, write and draw awful things - to name Tintin In The Congo for what it is doesn't mean The Calculus Affair or The Castafiore Emerald have to be yanked from the shelves. (Any more than it means readers appalled by Congo, or a few others, should be expected to embrace less toxic Tintin, of course.)
Thompson is particularly good on those two books, and the rest of the string of late masterpieces that followed the double-length wartime and post-war epics. A comedy writer himself, he has a fine appreciation for Herge's comic timing and grasp of slapstick, and a keen structural sense of what each recurring character brought to the series. (His central contention is that the story of Tintin and Herge is the story of a man gradually transferring his ideal self from Tintin to Haddock). In particular, his reading of Flight 714 is superb and brought me a new appreciation of that tricksy, enigmatic volume. When it focuses on exploring Herge's brilliance, not excusing his flaws, this is an excellent piece of criticism.
The only place it falls down are some of the judgements themselves, particularly Thompson's desire to defend Herge from all of the frequent political criticism of his work. Herge's work has an anti-authoritarian streak which took comic aim at communist, capitalist and fascist in turn (as well as at the petit-bourgeois mediocrities who stopped the latter-day Herge enjoying a quiet life). But Herge the man was not quite so bold, and while his post-war criticism by people keen to root out collaborators may have been distressing and inconvenient, it doesn't seem entirely unjust given what many of those who didn't knuckle under had been through. Thompson is also very defensive on the question of Herge and race - after a paragraph of excruciating detail on how Tintin Au Congo presents its African characters as stupid, lazy, feckless, and servile he concludes that the depiction is "patronising... but not deliberately racist". If Tintin Au Congo isn't deliberately racist, very little is. Artists make mistakes and think, write and draw awful things - to name Tintin In The Congo for what it is doesn't mean The Calculus Affair or The Castafiore Emerald have to be yanked from the shelves. (Any more than it means readers appalled by Congo, or a few others, should be expected to embrace less toxic Tintin, of course.)
Thompson is particularly good on those two books, and the rest of the string of late masterpieces that followed the double-length wartime and post-war epics. A comedy writer himself, he has a fine appreciation for Herge's comic timing and grasp of slapstick, and a keen structural sense of what each recurring character brought to the series. (His central contention is that the story of Tintin and Herge is the story of a man gradually transferring his ideal self from Tintin to Haddock). In particular, his reading of Flight 714 is superb and brought me a new appreciation of that tricksy, enigmatic volume. When it focuses on exploring Herge's brilliance, not excusing his flaws, this is an excellent piece of criticism.
December 24, 2025
Harry Thompson divides his biography of Georges Remi (‘Hergé: the ‘name’ is actually an inversion of the French pronunciation of ‘GR’) on the basis of the Tintin books, in chronological order. From the very first comic strips (Hergé pioneered the idea of the bande dessinée) that appeared in a Belgian Catholic magazine, through the early 1930s, with Tintin slowly getting fleshed out, and Hergé refining his craft—the book traces the development of the books, the characters, and of Hergé’s style. In the process, Thompson also ends up showing a changing world, and how the politics of the age affected the elements of the books in which Tintin appeared.
I found this book an eye-opener in many ways. How Tintin (not just the character, but the entire canon: the plots, the themes, the characters, even the drawing style) evolved. How much intensive (and highly detailed) research went into the comics. The political repercussions (Belgium and Japan went into a sort of diplomatic cold zone thanks to The Blue Lotus, which showed imperialist Japan in a bad light). The effects, on Hergé, of his long association with Tintin: the love-hate relationship the man developed with his famous creation.
There are a clutch of photos (including one of the original ‘Thompson/Thomson’ brothers, arresting a man). There is a list of all the Tintin books, in order.
There are even delightful bits of trivia. Did you know there actually was a King Ottokar, and—long after King Ottokar’s Sceptre had been published—excavations at Prague’s St Vitus Cathedral revealed an old sceptre belonging to King Ottokar? And do you know what all of Captain Haddock’s fabulously inventive swear-words mean? A colocynth, a macrocephalic baboon, a slubberdegullion, a jobbernowl, a circopithecus? Did you know that, as a result of Destination Moon and Explorers on the Moon, a dwarf planet was named after Hergé?
There is also the exploration of Hergé’s possibly right-wing sympathies, the accusations that he sided with the Nazis. This aspect of the book came across as a little ambivalent to me. From what Thompson writes, it seems as if Hergé was guilty of nothing more than trying to lie low and go with the flow. To be, in other words, a little cowardly? Natural; but then, if you’re the man who invented the most intrepid boy reporter of them all, your public might expect you to act in a style similar to the hero you created… at any rate, this was a little unsettling, mainly because it made me think of the ways in which writers are linked to their creations, and the sort of expectations we might inadvertently build.
On the whole, though, an excellent book. Very readable, informative, fun. And inspiring: it made me pull out all my old Tintins and resolve to re-read at least a couple of them.
I found this book an eye-opener in many ways. How Tintin (not just the character, but the entire canon: the plots, the themes, the characters, even the drawing style) evolved. How much intensive (and highly detailed) research went into the comics. The political repercussions (Belgium and Japan went into a sort of diplomatic cold zone thanks to The Blue Lotus, which showed imperialist Japan in a bad light). The effects, on Hergé, of his long association with Tintin: the love-hate relationship the man developed with his famous creation.
There are a clutch of photos (including one of the original ‘Thompson/Thomson’ brothers, arresting a man). There is a list of all the Tintin books, in order.
There are even delightful bits of trivia. Did you know there actually was a King Ottokar, and—long after King Ottokar’s Sceptre had been published—excavations at Prague’s St Vitus Cathedral revealed an old sceptre belonging to King Ottokar? And do you know what all of Captain Haddock’s fabulously inventive swear-words mean? A colocynth, a macrocephalic baboon, a slubberdegullion, a jobbernowl, a circopithecus? Did you know that, as a result of Destination Moon and Explorers on the Moon, a dwarf planet was named after Hergé?
There is also the exploration of Hergé’s possibly right-wing sympathies, the accusations that he sided with the Nazis. This aspect of the book came across as a little ambivalent to me. From what Thompson writes, it seems as if Hergé was guilty of nothing more than trying to lie low and go with the flow. To be, in other words, a little cowardly? Natural; but then, if you’re the man who invented the most intrepid boy reporter of them all, your public might expect you to act in a style similar to the hero you created… at any rate, this was a little unsettling, mainly because it made me think of the ways in which writers are linked to their creations, and the sort of expectations we might inadvertently build.
On the whole, though, an excellent book. Very readable, informative, fun. And inspiring: it made me pull out all my old Tintins and resolve to re-read at least a couple of them.
October 12, 2011
Not a portrait of the artist so much as an analysis of Hergé's work. Granted, Hergé was not a person who spent a lot of time doing interviews or talking about his life, so the source material Thompson used to inform his book is sparse. Add to that the fact that the author did not have access to Hergé's estate and you have a book that is big on enthusiasm but lacking in any real meat-and-potatoes biography. The analysis of each album in the series does give Thompson an iron-clad structure and he manages to offer up some valuable information for the art/cartoon/comic historian/enthusiast. Still, for as much as it says about the artist and his work it still feels lacking. An enjoyable read, overall, and a good primer for the TINTIN neophyte, but I'll probably keep looking for the Hergé bio that sates my appetite. Not a bad thing, necessarily.
February 13, 2019
Wonderful insight into the man behind Tintin, and the development of the boy hero character himself. What a ride through the war, various pressures, and the uber-meticulous research that went into each book- I had no idea. I'll appreciate Tintin much more now.
December 1, 2020
interesting with a good few anecdotes
I got the impression that hergé was a disappointed dad who only accepted tintin's path before his death
also this is written by the lad who created the ali g show apparently ?
I got the impression that hergé was a disappointed dad who only accepted tintin's path before his death
also this is written by the lad who created the ali g show apparently ?
May 20, 2020
My buddy leant me his collected works of Tintin as well as Harry Thompson's Tintin: Hergé and His Creation. It's a nifty history of Hergé's life and takes the reader through each of Tintin's adventures. I'd been reading along as I read through the comics, but at a certain point I decided that the plot was not being spoiled and just rushed through to the end. Now to return to The Castafiore Emerald...
March 21, 2021
I read this book as a teenage Tintin fan, and all of a sudden, it opened my eyes to exactly how much of a genius Hergé was. It went out of print for many years, but they brought it back into print on Kindle to coincide with the Spielberg Tintin movie, which was nice.
Thompson walks you through the life of Hergé, but does so by devoting a chapter to each Tintin book. Whether Hergé's life did actually divide up that neatly is another matter, but it's a solid device and brings each book to life as well as the man behind the stories.
The limitations of the book are that because Thompson didn't have access to Hergé, who was dead by the time this was published, he can only put the story together using other people's interviews and whatever information existed out of there. Still, this probably means he can be more objective.
What's fascinating about the story of the Tintin books is that you can simultaneously chart the improvement in Hergé's craft, but also his growing love/hate relationship with Tintin, all of which are pointed out expertly along the way by Thompson.
But the best thing is simply the level of detail that you will pick up in the Tintin books from reading this. After reading this book, I never again read Tintin the same way. If you too are a fan of the little Belgian detective, you should definitely check out this book.
Thompson walks you through the life of Hergé, but does so by devoting a chapter to each Tintin book. Whether Hergé's life did actually divide up that neatly is another matter, but it's a solid device and brings each book to life as well as the man behind the stories.
The limitations of the book are that because Thompson didn't have access to Hergé, who was dead by the time this was published, he can only put the story together using other people's interviews and whatever information existed out of there. Still, this probably means he can be more objective.
What's fascinating about the story of the Tintin books is that you can simultaneously chart the improvement in Hergé's craft, but also his growing love/hate relationship with Tintin, all of which are pointed out expertly along the way by Thompson.
But the best thing is simply the level of detail that you will pick up in the Tintin books from reading this. After reading this book, I never again read Tintin the same way. If you too are a fan of the little Belgian detective, you should definitely check out this book.
January 21, 2017
A wonderful journey through the life and times of Herge, broken down into the periods he was creating each Tintin album. His early life, trials and tribulations during the War, the continued success along with the torture of continuously producing the books are wonderfully described.
Recommend reading this along with the Tintin books to note many of the inspirations, nuggets and small felicities that abound in them.
Recommend reading this along with the Tintin books to note many of the inspirations, nuggets and small felicities that abound in them.
August 24, 2018
Enjoyable read, very interesting.
As a long standing fan of Tintin I very much enjoyed reading this book.
As it stands I own a full set of the books, yes that includes the facsimiles of the older versions, and even I found plenty of new info about both the production of the stories (i.e. the fact that even in the days of Tintin Magazine the stories would overrun, thus even whole pages would have to be omitted for the book versions, thank heaven for the 'Herge the complete soap opera' series) and also a few nuggets about the story content e.g. did you know the it is in fact Prof Calculus, not Cap Haddock, who is in fact supposed to be the legal owner of Marlinspike Hall? Don't believe me, well just read Red Rackham's Treasure again to find out..
The book also details various aspects of Herge's life outside of his work, however as the title implies this is skimmed over, plus there is also a chapter which details some of the various adaptations of the stories, of which I have always felt were of poor quality, and it is clear that Herge felt the same way about them...
One thing to note though, some of the info in this book is somewhat out dated as it was first written back in the early 1990s, thus there is no mention of more recent developments in the history of the Tintin brand, such as the 90s cartoon series (of which I quite enjoyed) or the 2011 film.
However given that most of the info concerns Tintin over the lifespan of his creator and likewise Herge's life in regard to how his work impacted on his own life, this book is still worth a read.
As a long standing fan of Tintin I very much enjoyed reading this book.
As it stands I own a full set of the books, yes that includes the facsimiles of the older versions, and even I found plenty of new info about both the production of the stories (i.e. the fact that even in the days of Tintin Magazine the stories would overrun, thus even whole pages would have to be omitted for the book versions, thank heaven for the 'Herge the complete soap opera' series) and also a few nuggets about the story content e.g. did you know the it is in fact Prof Calculus, not Cap Haddock, who is in fact supposed to be the legal owner of Marlinspike Hall? Don't believe me, well just read Red Rackham's Treasure again to find out..
The book also details various aspects of Herge's life outside of his work, however as the title implies this is skimmed over, plus there is also a chapter which details some of the various adaptations of the stories, of which I have always felt were of poor quality, and it is clear that Herge felt the same way about them...
One thing to note though, some of the info in this book is somewhat out dated as it was first written back in the early 1990s, thus there is no mention of more recent developments in the history of the Tintin brand, such as the 90s cartoon series (of which I quite enjoyed) or the 2011 film.
However given that most of the info concerns Tintin over the lifespan of his creator and likewise Herge's life in regard to how his work impacted on his own life, this book is still worth a read.
December 13, 2025
For most of my life I've been unfairly dismissive of Tintin and this book made me realise why that is. It's because my main exposure to the character as a kid was a cartoon series from the 60s - still doing the rounds in the early 70s - with a voice-of-doom into intoning "Herge's adventures of Tintin!!!". I don't recall much about it except that even then it didn't seem very good.
Turns out, thanks to Mr Thompson, it wasn't. But the damage was done and I never sought out the books.
I was introduced to them in the late 80s by an enthusiastic friend end even visited the Tintin shop in London, but they still didn't take root. Then a few weeks ago I finally watched a DVD called "Tintin et Moi" - a documentary about Herge's life and work from the 90s which I bought over 20 years ago and had had in my "to watch" pile ever since. It was brilliant and fascinating and prompted me to find out more, so I picked up this book, which is also brilliant and fascinating, and telld on a book by book basis how Herge's life and work were intertwined, each being reflected in the other.
I met Harry Thompson about 20 years ago when I was doing some animation work for him. I wish I'd caught up on Tintin many years earlier so I could have had a chat to Harry about him, but unfortunately Harry is now long gone. So glad he left this behind though.
Turns out, thanks to Mr Thompson, it wasn't. But the damage was done and I never sought out the books.
I was introduced to them in the late 80s by an enthusiastic friend end even visited the Tintin shop in London, but they still didn't take root. Then a few weeks ago I finally watched a DVD called "Tintin et Moi" - a documentary about Herge's life and work from the 90s which I bought over 20 years ago and had had in my "to watch" pile ever since. It was brilliant and fascinating and prompted me to find out more, so I picked up this book, which is also brilliant and fascinating, and telld on a book by book basis how Herge's life and work were intertwined, each being reflected in the other.
I met Harry Thompson about 20 years ago when I was doing some animation work for him. I wish I'd caught up on Tintin many years earlier so I could have had a chat to Harry about him, but unfortunately Harry is now long gone. So glad he left this behind though.
August 30, 2022
A thoroughly engaging account of the life of Georges Remi, known as Hergé, but only so far as his creation of and involvement with the beloved cartoon character Tintin, intrepid, ageless, young explorer and reporter, who is almost never seen calling in a story, and the expanding cast of characters who follow him through his various adventures. We learn a little of Hergé's personal life and how over-extension of work sometimes affected his health and led to the breakup of his first marriage and a little about his several near partnerships with various artists and assistants. Tintin's exploits covered most of the important events of the twentieth century or neatly parodied them under the careful research and deft craftsmanship of the cartoonist in his distinctive ligne claire style. The twenty-fourth book was left unfinished and it is hinted that this may have been purposeful or simply due to Hergé's failing health after over fifty years at the job. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable read and is highly recommended.
April 7, 2025
This is a well-written account of Tintin and his creation by Herge. It gives a nice insight into the times that Herge lived, and his politics giving greater context to the work. The book is divided into chapters based on the Tintin books, and sometimes it is hard to keep up the chronological order of events since the comics were revised multiple time to accomodate the changing political landscapes and the concerns of publishing houses that were doing the translations to English. So there is a constant shuttling between years, and sometimes that makes it hard to follows Herge's life. Nonetheless, this is an excellent book for all Tintin fans.
I had read most of Tintin from the local lending library. The library used to lend out books for two weeks and my biweekly visit will include choosing a novel and one Tintin book. Reading Thompson's brought back pleasant memories of childhood. I will probably go back to Tintin once again!
I would rate it 3.75/5
I had read most of Tintin from the local lending library. The library used to lend out books for two weeks and my biweekly visit will include choosing a novel and one Tintin book. Reading Thompson's brought back pleasant memories of childhood. I will probably go back to Tintin once again!
I would rate it 3.75/5
August 11, 2017
I've always loved reading biographies and auto-biographies, but I don't think I've ever read something as detailed as this before (I joked to a friend that it's the first book I've ever read for enjoyment that has footnotes and an index). I felt so many emotions towards Hergé while reading this and count myself lucky that I found this book in a bargain bin several years ago. I almost wish I had got round to reading it sooner.
January 30, 2021
Perhaps I had the wrong expectation of this book but I seriously couldn't finish it. If I wanted a rundown of every Tintin book's plot line, I'd re read the Tintin books! I really wanted to hear more about Herge, but felt like I was learning more facts about his life in offhand comments than the main content of the book.
And the slight casual homophobia (in my opinion) was the final nail in the coffin that made me put this book back on the shelf.
And the slight casual homophobia (in my opinion) was the final nail in the coffin that made me put this book back on the shelf.
February 12, 2024
From 1 to 5, I give a 5. It's entertaining and interesting for the general public with a vague interest in Tintim, like I am. Perhaps a bit superficial for the true connoisseurs. Lovely reading. I just disagree with the final conclusion, where the author suggests reasons for the success of Tintin: I would say the main reason was the ability provided to the readers of travelling. When Tintin raised to celebrity, it wasn't easy to travel. Pretty much nobody would travel. But the universe of Tintin opened the world to readers and with a pinch of adventures. For me that was the key factor.
January 25, 2020
If you are a Tintin fan, and if the series did define your childhood, as it did mine, then his is the book to read. It comes with a disclaimer that the author did not get any help from the Herge Museum. Yet the meticulous research makes the book an endearing read. And it also brings out the other side of Herge, the one which his colorful creation couldn't.
June 28, 2023
Excellent read. It gives much insight into the times, and the politics of the period. It also provides a look into the author (Hergé), and what sort of man he was. Thus creating a much better picture into what went into the books and their background. Highly recommended for Tintin fans especially, and anyone curious about the comics
October 1, 2025
Anyone who loves the Tintin books will love this book. It describes Herge's life and the development of Tintin to how we know him today. Each Tintin book creation is described, the time period and events, and character development. The toll it took on Herge and his relationships with his friends and wife, and his health.
February 19, 2022
Well written, and potentially interesting, but never having seen more than a few Tintins, it was lost on me. Though probably a good history in its way, neither Herge nor Tintin could come alive for me like Ann Boleyn, who I also never met.
December 22, 2024
I reread each Tintin volume alongside Thompson. His comments were always insightful, witty, and enjoyable. It's striking how he could do so much with so little—brevity and lack of access to Herge's archives—while Michael Farr's book was the exact opposite. Highly recommended.
March 16, 2025
A magnificent part biography of Hergé and part guide for the Tintin comics. It should be a must read for everyone who loves Hergé's timeless creation. It gives a clarity about the characters, their development, how they affected Hergé and vice versa.
June 29, 2025
A superb account of the Tintin oeuvre with every album discussed in detail, the context in which it was written, and the evolution of each album, across decades - recolourings and collaborations. A must read for all Tintin fans.
July 13, 2017
Brilliant accessible biography of Herge- great to read along as I revisited Tintin's adventures. Harry Thompson- also author of Penguins Stopped Play - is sadly missed.
January 6, 2018
It’s a decent biography on Hergé and Tintin, but you really have to be a fan to appreciate this and it doesn’t add much to be honest.
January 15, 2024
A great read for anyone who loves Tintin.
December 18, 2024
Fascinating insight into Hergé. Sad in parts.
October 30, 2025
Okay read for the knowledgeable fan of Herge. However, I wanted a good biography of his life but this thinly touches, compared to others I have read, it.
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January 1, 2026
A decent read, very rose-tinted but nevertheless insightful biography of Hergé. First finished book of 2026! Let’s goo!
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