Tin Tin: Tin Tin in America

FRENCH TITLE

Tintin en Amérique

SERIALISATION

On his return from the Congo Tintin announced that his next assignment would be in America. The 5th August edition of Le Petit Vingtième contained a report about the land of prohibition (America had prohibited the sale of alcohol) outlined rival gangs were fighting each other with machine guns. To help solve the problem the American government had requested Tintins assistance.

Le Petit Vingtième
5th August 1931

in the land of prohibition...

of the dollar and sky-high records. The bandits are all the daring. Not a day goes by when a band attacks a rival band with machine guns.

These are the people that Tintin, called by the American government, will go to their homes.

You will follow with an ever-increasing interest The new adventures of Tintin in America.

The 27th August 1931 edition of Le Petit Vingtième announced that the following week Tintins adventures in Chicago would commence.

27th August 1931
Le Petit Vingtième

The serialisation commenced in the 3rd September 1931 edition.

3rd September 1931
Le Petit Vingtième

Le Petit Vingtième
TinTin en Amérique

The final part of the serialisation of Tintin in America was published in the 20th October 1932 edition of Le Petit Vingtième. The following week's edition announced Tintin's return.

Le Petit Vingtième
20th October 1932

Le Petit Vingtième edition of 27th October 1932 contained a telegram from Tin Tin and Snowy.

Le Petit Vingtième
A TELEGRAM OF TINTIN

A TELEGRAM OF TINTIN

We receive, at the time of going to press, a telegram from our friend and collaborator Tintin.

26-10-32 Petit <vigntieme> Brussels

We will be back in Brussels on 13 November. Relaxing journey. Snowy is bored with inaction. Everything on board. Let's bring back some gifts and souvenirs from America for little ones<vingtiemistes>. Good friends to all. See you soon.

Tintin-Snowy

The album of the serialisation was announced in the 17th November 1932 edition of Le Petit Vingtième.

Le Petit Vingtième
17th November 1932

Tintin en Amerique
1932 Edition

The album was re-drawn with a series of covers from 1935 to 1942.

Tintin en Amerique
1932 to 1942

CONTEXT

United States of America 1932

Tintin's third adventure is set in the United States of America with the focus on the city of Chicago.

During the 1920's the USA had boomed as the capitalist driven economy benefited from industrialisation and consumerism. The conservative priest and editor of Le Petit Vingtième Norbert Wallace looked to Hergé to denounce America's capitalist system.

1920's American Capitalism

1920's American Industrialisation.

1920's American Consumerism

1920's Chicago

The capitalist system was severely tested in October 1929 when the US Stock Market crashed. This would lead to a run on the banks and caused a depression with high levels of unemployment.

Wall Street Crash New York Times October 1929

America 1929 Wall Street Crash people queue at banks

America 1929 Soup Kitchen for unemployed men

As was reported in Le Petit Vingtième 5th August 1931 edition the US was the land of prohibition. On on January 16, 1919 the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified prohibiting the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.

Prohibition- Beer being poured down the drain

The introduction of prohibition led to boot legging, the illegal production and sale of alcohol, and drinking in illicit drinking bars, Speakeasy's.

Prohibition - illicit drinking den - Speakeasy

The American police were engaged constantly in the seizure of illegal alcohol and the raiding of the illicit drinking dens.

Prohibition - Police seize illegal alcohol

The illegal activities lead to violence between rival criminal gangs as they fought to control the supplies of alcohol and the vast profits that accrued.

Prohibition - Gangster violence

One city that was strongly associated with gangsters and speakeasies was Chicago, the main criminal involved being Al Capone.

Chicago 1930 - major centre of gangster activity

Chicago 1930 - Gangster Map

Chicago Gangster Al Capone

Al Capone and his Criminal Gang

The US Government set up special task forces to bring Al Capone and other gangsters to justice.

Al Capone was undergoing trial for tax evasion as Le Petit Vingtième began the serialisation of Tin Tin's adventure America in 3rd September 1931 edition. Capone was found guilty of income tax evasion on October 17, 1931 and a week later sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The context of Tintin's adventures in America is a request from the US Government for assistance to solve the gangster problem in Chicago.

Tintin in Chicago fighting gangsters

Tintin's adventures would take him to the Wild West. There he discovers oil on Native Indian land. The tribal lands would be seized by the US Government and the Native Indians removed to allow the oil to be exploited.

This reflected the treatment of the Osage Indian Nation where oil was discovered and the US Government took control of their wealth.

Osage Native Indians

Osage Native Indian Village

Osage Native Indian Dancers

SYNOPSIS

Tintin travels to America at the request of the United States Government to assist them in their struggle to suppress gangster activity in Chicago.

Tin Tin in America

Before Tintin arrives, Chicago gangster Al Capone is already plotting his downfall He recounts how Tintin had thwarted Capone's diamond operations in the Congo and was responsible for the jailing of the criminals involved. Capone tells his henchmen that Tintin is coming and vows "not one single day does he spend in Chicago"

Tintin in America
Al Capone briefs his henchmen

Tintin in America
Al Capone King of the gangsters in Chicago

On arrival in Chigcago Tintin is into the fray as soon as he arrives. He is being kidnapped in a taxi as he leaves the station. He escapades and is able to set off in pursuit of the perpetrators, only to end up in hospital.

Tintin in America
Tintin in pursuit of gangsters

On release from hospital he is once again kidnapped and is taken to Al Capone's hideout. Aided by Snowy, Tintin once again escapes and actually captures Capone. However, when reporting this to the police they do not believe him thinking him a nutcase and hit him with a truncheon. Thus Al Capone evades being taken into custody.

Tintin in America
Police do not believe Tintin has captured Al Capone

Tintin returns to his hotel where he receives a warning note to leave town the following day. Tearing up the note, Tintin ignores the warning.

Tintin in America
Tintin ignores warning note from Al Capone

A gangster is sent to kill Tintin is captured, and police arrive to take the would be assassin and Tintin to the police station. The police are in fact gangsters in disguise, and take Tintin to their crime boss who is a rival of Capone, Bobby Smiles.

Smiles tries to hire Tintin to join his fight against Capone, however he refuses, and ends up being thrown Lake Michigan.

Tintin in America
Bobby Smiles attempts to hire Tintin

Tintin in America
Tintin is thrown into Lake Michigan

Escaping from that predicament and another murder attempt by Smiles, Tintin sets a trap. Together with the police he captures Smiles and his gang. This time it is Smiles who escapes and he heads off West. A few days later Tintin discovers Smiles has been sighted at an Indian Reservation near Redskin City and sets off by train to the Wild West.

Tintin in America
Bobby Smiles escapes to the Wild West

Adopting the persona of a cowboy, Tintin searches for Smiles, who has now secured the help of the Blackfeet Indian tribe who capture Tintin and try to kill him.

Tintin in America - Cowboy

Tintin in America
Blackfeet Indians

Tintin in America
Tintin captured by Blackfeet Indians

Tintin once again escapes his precarious situation. In the pursuit that follows, Tintin discovers oil on the Indian's land. Despite Tintins efforts to have the oil rights given to the Indians, the government intervenes and the army remove the Native Indian's off their land.

Tintin in America
Indians forced off their land for Oil

As Tintin starts to look for Bobby Smiles again . Spotting Smiles on a train, Tintin sets off on a chase after him in a borrowed locomotive.

Tintin in America
Locomotive Chase

Ultimately this pursuit ends up with Tintin being subject to a lynch mob and yet another escape. A prairie fire results in Tintin falling into Smiles's hands, and tied to rail tracks. However, once again the intrepid Belgian reporter escapes.

Tintin in America
Tintin's rail track predicament

The pursuit of Smiles finally ends with the gangster being captured.

Tintin in America
Tintin captures Bobby Smiles

Tintin returns to Chicago where the press eager to hear about Tintins adventures descend on his hotel. During the media frenzy Snowy is kidnapped.

Tintin America
Snowy's Kidnap

Tintin's attention now focuses on the return of his canine companion. Not only does he locate Snowy, Tintin also captures the gang of kidnappers, though not as it turns out, the mastermind behind the plot. That mastermind turns out to be a local industrial magnate who tries to have Tintin killed at a meat packing factory. Tintin thwarts that attempt, and brings the criminal mastermind to justice.

Tintin America
Tintin captures criminal masterminds

The gangster fraternity contemplate thier operations being on the brink of ruin and decide to make a final effort to take Tintin's life at a banquet that has been held in is honour for his efforts in fighting crime.

Tintin America
Criminal meeting and Tintin's Banquet

At a final attempt is made on Tintin's life as Once again Tintin thwarts their efforts, delivering more criminals to the police.

Tintin America
Tintin thwarts criminals

Tintins major clean up in Chicago had led police to the gangsters hideout, apprehending 355 suspects and hundreds of documents that could result in further arrests. This put an end to the actions of the Chicago underworlds bosses and a grateful American held a tickertape parade for Tintin.

Tintin then sets off to return to Europe.