This comprises three Tintin "volumes" - Cigars of the Pharaoh, The Blue Lotus, and The Broken Ear. These are actually vols. 4 - 6 of the original series, and these have been colorised and incorporate the clear line technique. Having read the original #1 B & W version, I can say these are vastly superior in artwork. I classified this as "young adult" but the actual level might be pre-teen. The reader must suspend disbelief and just go along for a wild ride. Each double page spread was an episode in a magazine serial, and ends with a cliffhanger. Tintin and Snowy are in a car crash or plane crash, or a boat is sinking. They may be shot at by baddies, drugged and imprisoned, threatened with execution by firing squad or beheading, or threatened with the cutting off of Tintin's famous quiff.
Tintin himself is very good at fighting, even against multiple opponents, but he is a lousy driver who often crashes into trees or other objects. His nickname must be "Lucky" - even when his car is blown up, he may well land in another one belonging to the baddies, and therefore continue his escape. He's a bit of an innocent, who almost always gets on the wrong side of some crook, while helping a weaker person. The crook is after him from then on, but the one he helped secretly helps him back.
His dog, Snowy, is not just a typical mutt. The reader sees his thoughts, and his facial expressions also give clues to the coming action. He's been known to dress in a tiger suit to frighten the crooks, or another tiger. He's usually hungry, and complains often about having to wait for his dinner.
Snowy is one of the elements of humour that run through the stories. Others include the use of names which are bastardised forms of well-known words - the tomb of Kih-Oskh. There are mad professors, dumb crooks and police, and the ever-present Thomson and Thompson who chase Tintin everywhere for some unknown reason, but usually fall flat on their faces. Language is over-the-top - "This is my boat and I'll blow it sky high before I surrender". There is often humour in the illustrations. Tintin crashes a plane, and a first aid kit drops from the tree above onto his head. "all we are missing is the user manual", he says. A large book with a red cross on the cover then drops and again hits him on the head.
On the drawings, they are very detailed, and show types of vehicles and dress from the period. Sometimes signs have some humorous meaning.
There is casual racism throughout, again being considered normal in the period.
English translations are not fully accurate, as the words have occasionally been trimmed to fit the dialogue bubbles. Sadly, the English versions don't do it for me. The stories and action are too ridiculous, and often the font is hard for me to read. In future, I think I'll stick to the French versions to further my study of the language. They aren't easy to come by, though.
These are classics, loved by millions throughout the world. When I tried to extend the loan beyond the basic month, there were already other holds which prevented it.
Rating 3.7.