Tintin in America

By Hergé
Read: September 2009
Rating: Trippy

I now know why this volume confused the hell out of me as a kid.

Firstly, it’s the first in the series, as published widely, but it’s technically the third book. So there are references to Tintin’s past adventures, and he has a hell of a reputation. Such a strong reputation that the mobsters of Chicago decide he’s too dangerous to live. They kidnap him the moment he arrives and attempt to kill him.

There’s a LOT of attempted Tintin murder in this book.

Tintin, of course, escapes every time. Usually with a dose of humor and lucky circumstance.

I was never too bothered by that when I was younger, but now I see this book as being very fast-paced. No sooner does Tintin defeat one enemy than another pops up to take his place (and they are always men). It took me a few pages, but then I found myself falling back into Hergé’s pacing and it was all good.

Here’s what always confused me when I was young. I couldn’t really pin down when the story was actually set. See, the front page says it’s 1931, but midway through Tintin leaves Chicago for “Redskin territory” and then it might as well be the 1800s. Being raised in America, I clearly have a better acquaintance with American history than Hergé did. The city scenes are as accurate as a comic book is going to get.

Amusingly, I saw somewhere that Hergé did do some research into the customs of the Blackfoot tribe. His “redskins” come off as a mash-up of multiple tribes, as seen by someone from WELL outside the culture. And it is. I’m sure there are plenty of people who find it insulting.

It should be noted, however, that Hergé wanted to portray them sympathetically, at least partially. There’s a scene where Tintin discovers oil on their land. White businessmen swoop in and offer him hundreds of thousands of dollars for the rights to it. Tintin says, very honestly,

Tintin: I’m sorry, gentlement, but that oil well isn’t mine to sell. It belongs to the Blackfoot Indians who live in this part of the country…

Businessman 1, crossly: Why didn’t you say so before?

Businessman 2, to the Chief: Here, Hiawatha! Twenty-five dollars, and half an hour to pack your bags and quit the territory!

Armed men then force the Blackfoot people off the land with bayonets. (page 29)

Not all the stereotypes shown here are false. American businessmen are portrayed as smarmy cigar-smokers wearing spats. The moment the oil land is bought a city is built overnight. Prohibition is ridiculed as well, with a local Sheriff passing out drunk under a sign forbidding just that, with his own name on it. On page 46, a goon strolls into a bar with a giant sign: THE MOONSHINE CLUB: SPEAKEASY. Bootleggers to the White House. This is quite an indictment… and completely misses the point of speakeasies being incredibly secretive affairs. Later, Tintin is invited to a meat processing plant, which pays its employees to bring in cats and dogs to ‘supplement’.

If one didn’t know better, you’d think America was full of gangsters, “Red Indians” still couldn’t speak English, and cowboys went around lynching people. (And those guys are the most pathetic lynchers.) Since Hergé had never been to America, that means this book is a reflection of what he COULD see from the outside. And how is that for depressing?

And I don’t remember Snowy actually talking. There’s just one point where he and Tintin have an interactive conversation, though, so I think this was on its way out.

A very strange volume, I must say. Not terrible, but a bit silly.