UnBooks:Hergé's Erotic Adventures of Tintin
“I've never liked the little prick”
The Erotic Adventures of Tintin, often referred to as the forgotten book in the series, was written by Hergé in 1969, tapping into the psychadelic bohemian lifestyle that had become de rigour within Western Europe at that time.
Drawn in the familiar ligne claire (French for "badly drawn") style of drawing pioneered by Hergé, the book was received with mixed reviews by fans and critics alike. Many people feel that the decision to create the story was to keep pace with Albert Üdërzö, whose Asterix and the Thousand Vestal Virgins had been published the year previously.
Storyline[edit]
Undercover investigator Tintin, along with hirsute seafaring companion Captain Haddock take a trip to 1960s Amsterdam. Whilst enjoying some Chocolate Chip Muffins in a local cafe, the pair become increasingly concerned that they are been watched.
The two chums make a dash for the door, but are grabbed by the fuzz, who much to their surprise turn out to be their old friends, the Thompson Twins. They tell the duo of a plan to collect some "kickback" from "Madame Flimflam's Slapper House", and invite their friends along.
In the course of their "investigation" the duo are captured by a gang of Arabian businessmen and are forced to participate in a heathen ritual involving watermelons. Branded, ballgagged and bundled into a waiting lorry, the pair soon find themselves aboard a ship, bound for America. Once there they are sold into slavery to a group of mid-Western farmers with a love of BDSM. They manage to escape four months into their captivity, disguised as Buffalo.
Making their way east, they reach Cape Codpiece (a humourous take on Cape Canaveral) where, whilst hiding in a crate, they find themselves placed inside an unmanned rocket. With no means of escape before take off, terrified amid fears of NASA's track record, the two blast off into low altitude orbit.
Caught in a meteor shower, Tintin locates an escape pod, and removing their spacesuits the two squeeze in to the tight compartment, jettisoning just as a large meteor smashes into the hull. A high speed fall end with the two crashing through the roof of a Amsterdam cafe where they regain consciousness, surrounded by a throng of hippies.
Controversy and Moral Indignation[edit]
Hergé's decision to change the much loved canine character Snowy into a 30-something free-loving Hippy Chick was met with condemnation amongst many fans. In his native Belgium, groups, sometimes as many as fifty strong, gathered both outside of the author's home as well as the Publishing House to protest against what they called "the biggest travesty since Bambi, Naked and on Ice."
Haddock's penchant for teenage boys posed a problem for reader sensitivities, as did his recreational use of crack cocaine. Perhaps the greatest cause for concern was that Tintin is depicted throughout without his trademark plus fours.
Apologists point to Hergé's alcoholism and increasing attacks of solipsism syndrome as a major factor, whilst others maintain that he was just a dirty old man.
Proposed Titles in the Series[edit]
A number of additional titles were also planned, including the following:
- Tintin in the Cave of the Arabian Prince
- Tintin and Pol Pot Holiday in Cambodia
- Tintin and the Emancipation Proclamation
- TinTin and the secret nuclear enrichment plants of Qom