4 ms·
They were different times. Tintin is rather fascinating in that regard, in that the first 3 albums at least are egregiously incorrect caricatures of russia/afr
by andrepd 7y ago
They were different times.
Tintin is rather fascinating in that regard, in that the first 3 albums at least are egregiously incorrect caricatures of russia/africa/america with a decidedly colonialist, white supermacist, paternalist bent (very real, inarguably so, take a read yourself). A product of being literally ordered by an ultraconservative catholic priest. At a certain point in his life, Hergé (the author) met what would become a close friend (the basis of the character Chang in the albums). This caused such a wild shift in his worldview that the albums shifted from being these oversimplified caricatures of "inferior nations" to being one of the most thoroughly well-researched and eclectic comic book series/universes of all time.
- bvandewalle 7y agoIt is also a good reminder that the moral standards back in those days were completely different and I think we cannot judge those books with the moral standards of today.
- lonelappde 7y agoBut it also makes them dated products of their times.
- andrepd 7y agoEven in "those days" that posture was already inexcusable. The man who edited Le Petit Vingtième was a literal fascist. Quoting from wikipedia: >Beginning a series of newspaper supplements in late 1928, Wallez founded a supplement for children, Le Petit Vingtième (The Little Twentieth), which subsequently appeared in Le Vingtième Siècle every Thursday. Carrying strong Catholic and fascist messages, many of its passages were explicitly anti-semitic. To my mind what forgives this is not the fact that it was done long ago, but simply the fact that he so drastically changed his worldview, and repudiated his earlier work. It takes particular strength of character to admit one was wrong in one's core beliefs, and effect real change which reflects true regret.