Tin Tin in the Congo

 

FRENCH TITLE

Tin Tin au Congo

SERIALISATION

Tin Tin in the Congo ( Tin Tin au Congo)  was Tin Tin's second adventure. 

The serialisation of Tin Tin's adventure in the Land of the Soviet's ended on the 8th May 1930 edition of Le Petit Vingtième. 

In the issue of the 29th May it was announced that "Next week Tin Tin and Snowy in Congo (La Semaine Prochaine Tin Tin et Milou au Congo).

Le Petit Vingtième 19th May 1930
Tin Tin et Milou au Congo

The serialisation of Tin Tin au Congo commenced in the 5th June 1930.  

Le Petit Vingtième 5th June 1930
Tin Tin et Milou au Congo

Le Petit Vingtième 5th June 1930
Tin Tin et Milou depart Brussels for the Congo

The 12th June 1930 edition shows Tin Tin on the cover of Le Petit Vigntieme promoting the the French department store Le Bon Marché and it's reputed department which had supplied Tin Tin colonial articles prior to his departure.

Le Petit Vingtième 12th June 1930
Le Bon Marché equips Tin Tin

Tin Tin's adventure in the Congo was serialised from  5th June 1930 to19th June 1931.

Le Petit Vingtième 5th June 1930 to 19th June 1931
Les Adventures de Tin Tin Reporter du Congo

The final part of Tin Tin's adventure sees the intrepid reporter returning to Belgium on an aircraft.

Tin Tin in the Congo Le Petit Vingtième
Tin Tin returns from Africa

The edition of the 11th June featured native Congolese looking skyward as Tin Tin returns to Belgium. 

Le Petit Vingtième 11th June 1931
Tin Tin returns to Belgium

On the cover of the the 25th June, two Tuareg's, ethnic natives of the Sahara Region, point towards Tin Tin's aircraft flying overhead.

Le Petit Vingtième 25th June 1931
Tin Tins plane flies over the Sahara

 Tin Tin having run out of water and and with the the plane's engine radiator is empty, is assisted by the Tuaregs. A scene that was serialised, but not included in the Album. The report being received by special wireless

Le Petit Vingtième 25th June 1931
Report by special wireless

In the 9th July edition of Le Petit Vingtième the return of Tin Tin and Snowy was announced.

Le Petit Vingtième 
The Return of Tin Tin and Snowy

Tin Tin arrived at the Brussels Gare du Nord station where he was met by enthusiastic crowds. Also meeting him where two of  Hergé's other characters from Le Petit Vingtième, Quick and Flupke.

Tin Tin and Snowy return from the Congo
Brussels Gare du Nord Station

From the station Tin Tin processioned in a horse-drawn carriage with a dozen native Africans to the offices of Le Vingtième Sicle in the Boulevard Bischoffsheim. Following them were Boy Scouts carrying souvenirs (including stuffed animals) from Tin Tin's adventure in the Congo.

Tin Tin and Snowy return form the Congo
Native Africans with Tin Tin

Tin Tin and Snowy return form the Congo
Boy Scouts carrying souvenirs from Africa

On the balcony of the offices of Le Vingtième Sicle, Tin Tin alongside Hergé, announced that the album of the adventure in the Congo is on sale at Brussels department store, Le Bon Marché. He also reveals his next assignment, America.

Tin Tin and Snowy return form the Congo
Tin Tin and Hergé announcements
Offices of Le Vingtième Sicle Brussels

Le Petit Vingtième
9th July 1931

1931 16th July
THE ARRIVAL OF TINTIN
Tintin, followed by Herge, Quick, Flupke
 and some Congolese,
leaves the station amid cheers

Tin Tin au Congo 1931 Album

The content of Tin Tin in the Congo ( Tin Tin au Congo) was controversial as the depiction of Belgian colonials attitudes became less acceptable. In 1946 the album was redrawn in colour and some of the colonial references toned down. 

Tin Tin au Congo 1931

Whilst updated in 1946, the racist portrayals and scenes of animal cruelty still raised concerns. It was not until 2007 when it was finally translated into English. The album is subject to bans and restrictions and not included in some Tin Tin collective works.

Tin Tin in the Congo Collectors Edition

 CONTEXT

Tin Tin's adventure is set in the Belgium Congo, a colony under Belgian rule in 1930.

Belgian Congo

The territory covers the area of the basin of the River Congo.

River Congo Basin

River Congo

The Belgian Congo was under Belgium influence from 1885 when the territory in the Congo Basin was ceded as the personal property of the Belgian King Leopold II. He exerted direct brutal rule and created a humanitarian disaster.

In 1908 as a result of missionaries complaining about the treatment of the Congolese people and international pressure led to the Belgian government taking over the failing territory and it became a Belgian Colony.

The colony was ruled by Belgians who provided the financial and administrative functions of the colony through it's structure of provinces and districts.  The Belgian rule in the Congo was based on the "colonial trinity", the Belgian state, missionaries and private companies.

Belgian Missionary

Belgian Missionary School

Belgian Missionaries

Belgian Congo Banknote

The Belgian's had little interest in colonialism. They had not supported King Leopold II's annexation of the territory in 1885. They had reluctantly taken over the colony in 1908 to end King Leopold II's disastrous and unacceptable rule of the Congo. 

The right wing editor of Le Petit Vingtième Norbert Wallez, a supporter of colonialism, wanted to assist the government to persuade people to go to work in the Belgian Colonial Service. 

The concept of Tin Tins adventure was aimed at educating young Belgians about the Congo to try to encourage them to think about going to the colony to emulate their hero Tin Tin. 

Tin Tin et Milou au Congo

It was in the context of the the Congo being a Belgian colony and under the rule of a Belgian administration in which Tin Tin's adventure in the Congo is set. 

SYNOPSIS

The adventure commences with Tin Tin boarding a train en route to a port. The first scene depicts a group of wishers including reporters and boy scouts seeing Tin Tin off. One of the reporters is a cameo of Hergé, another is his work colleague and friend Edgar P Jacobs. Two boys in the scene are Quick and Flupke who Hergé also serialised in Le Petit Vingtième from January 1930. In the background are two more characters who would rise to prominence in later Tin Tin adventures, the bungling Scotland Yard detectives, Thomson and Thompson (Thom(p)son Twins).

Tin Tin in the Congo Departing for Africa
Quick and Flupke, Hergé, Edgar Jacobs, Thomp(p)son Twins

Tin Tin in the Congo
Tin Tin and Snowy set off for Africa

On board ship Snowy breaks a mirror, which no doubt brings him bad luck. In the course of the sea journey he is attacked by a parrot, believes his tail will be cut off by the ships carpenter,  attacked by a Stowaway, which ends up with him jumping overboard. A rescue attempt by Tin Tin is scuppered by an electric fish, forcing Tin Tin to dive overboard to rescue Snowy from sharks. 

After a hectic journey Tin Tin and Snowy finally arrive off the coast of Africa. 

Tin Tin in the Congo
Arriving on the African Coast

As Tin Tin's ship approaches the coast natives eagerly await his arrival. "See that grand ship, Snowball, Tin Tin and Snowy come in that big ship"

Tin Tin in the Congo
Natives awaiting Tin Tin and Snowy's arrival

On arrival in Africa, Tin Tin and Snowy are greeted by a crowd of well-wishers.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Arrival in Africa

Tin Tin in the Congo
Greeted by well-wishers

One less welcoming individual is the Stowaway that attacked snowy, who plots Tin Tin's downfall. 

Tin Tin now sets off on his adventure, seeking the assistance of a local native boy, Coco, and hiring a car for transport. 

Tin Tin in the Congo
Tin Tin's native assistant Coco

Tin Tin in the Congo
Tin Tin sets off for his African adventure

Tin Tin's first activity is the contentious practice of big game hunting, popular in colonial times.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Big Game Hunting

 During that activity he rescues Snowy from being eaten by crocodiles, slaughters antelope, and once again rescues Snowy, this time from monkeys. 

As the adventure continues, Tin Tin's car gets stuck on a railway track where it was hit by a steam locomotive, and surprisingly, the car is undamaged, the impact toppling the train off the track. The train is eventually replaced on the tracks, and Tin Tin saves the situation by towing it with his car. In doing so he meets the Babaorum people.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Train Incident

Tin Tin in the Congo
Meeting the Babaorum people

Tin Tin is invited to hunt lion with the King of Babaorum. An encounter which brings Tin Tin and Snowy face to face with a lion. 

Tin Tin in the Congo
Tin Tin and Snowy encounter a lion

Rather than killing the lion, with the help of Snowy, the lion is tamed, impressing the native Babaorum people. It does not however impress the village Witch Doctor, who thinks Tin Tin will undermine his influence by such deeds.  Appearing on the scene is the Stowaway from the sea journey to Africa, who together with the witch doctor frame Tin Tin for stealing and defacing a local idol statue. 

Sentenced to death, he awaits his fate, however he is rescued by Coco. Tin Tin clears his name, the witch doctor is banished and Tin Tin briefly becomes Chief of the Babaorum people. The banished Witch Doctor gets together with the Stowaway and engineers a war between the Babaorum and their rivals the M'Haturn.

Tin Tin in the Congo
The M'Haturn marches off to war

Tin Tin is able to turn the war in the favour of the Babaorum, thwarting the efforts of the Witch Doctor and Stowaway. The two villains come up with another plan. The witch doctor dresses as a leopard man, a member of a secret society who use metal claws to kill their victims. He stalks Tin Tin as he sets off hunting lions at night with the intention to attack him.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Leopard Man

Tin Tin in the Congo
Leopard Man stalks Tin Tin

It is not Tin Tin that ends up being attacked.  It is the Witch Doctor, who is attacked by a snake. Tin Tin rescues the Witch Doctor from the snake who repays his gratitude by informing Tin Tin where her can find his one time accomplice, the Stowaway. 

Tin Tin sets off to apprehend the Stowaway, however, it is the Stowaway who gets the upper hand rendering Tin Tin unconscious. When he comes too, Tin Tin finds himself suspended above the a river with crocodiles ready to devour him. Luckily, a Missionary Priest being conveyed along the river in a boat rescues Tin Tin from his predicament. 

Tin Tin in the Congo
Missionary Priest rescues Tin Tin from crocodiles

It was not only Tin Tin that was left in a predicament. The Stowaway tethered Snowy to a stake in the ground and left to be devoured by wild animals. Tin Tin goes off in search of his canine companion, rescuing him from a snake. Everyone returns to the Mission. At the Mission Tin Tin conducts a mathematics class during which a leopard wanders in, which he successfully expels. 

Tin Tin in the Congo
At the Missionary School

Tin Tin in the Congo
Leopard in the Classroom

The next day Tin Tin set's off elephant hunting, and is once again attacked by the Stowaway who has disguised himself as a missionary. Initially Tin Tin overpowers the Stowaway and finds a letter, but it is the Stowaway who ultimately prevails and knocks out Tin Tin. Tin Tin is put in a small dugout canoe, still unconscious, and cast into the river. He goes over a large waterfall and is luckily snagged on a tree. Snowy seeing what is happening goes back to the Mission, alerts the Missionary Priest, who once again rescues Tin Tin from his predicament.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Waterfall predicament

Following his rescue, Tin Tin spots the Stowaway and sets off after him. A fight results, during which Tin Tin and Stowaway fall into a river. Tin Tin survives, the Stowaway gets eaten by crocodiles.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Stowaway eaten by crocodiles

Having survived his latest attack, Tin Tin sets off to find Snowy, only to find he has been enthroned as the ling of a pygmy tribe.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Snowy Pygmy King

Snowy had retrieved the letter previously found by Tin Tin. The letter, signed by AC, outlined that he wanted "rid of the reporter Tin Tin by any means, making it appear an accident". It also detailed a rendezvous where the Stowaway would receive further instructions. 

Disguising himself as the Stowaway, Tin Tin meets up with a person called Gibbons, and finds the Stowaway's name was Tom. Overpowering Gibbons, Tin Tin extracts information about what is going on. 

AC is Al Capone the notorious Chicago gangster who was looking to control diamond production in Africa. When Capone heard about Tin Tin's departure for the continent Capone thought that he had discovered the plot so he decided that Tin Tin should be got rid of.

Tin Tin hands Gibbons over to the Colonial Police. That evening, using the information gleaned from Gibbons, Tin Tin and the Colonial Police capture the rest of the criminal gang, ending their illegal activities.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Criminal gang captured by Colonial Police

After the series of adventures, encounters with wild animals, attacks by criminals, Tin Tin relaxes and reads the newspaper headlines detailing his unmasking of the plan to control diamond production.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Tin Tin reading of his exploits

Tin Tin in the Congo
Newspaper headlines recording Tin Tin's exploits

Tin Tin becomes bored with the lack of action and decides to set off to photograph wildlife.  

Tin Tin in the Congo
Off to photograph wildlife

Tin Tin in the Congo
Wildlife Photography

Whilst the photographing of giraffe went without incident, further encounters with other wild life were more dangerous. Tin Tin being chased by an elephant, a rhino, and a herd of buffalo. 

Whilst being pursued by a herd of buffalo Tin Tin is rescued by a passing aircraft that trails a rope ladder to extract him before the buffalo trample him. Snowy escapes by going down a rabbit hole. Tin Tin later returns to the area in the aircraft and finds Snowy.

Tin Tin in the Congo
Rescue by aircraft

It transpires the aircraft had been looking for Tin Tin, in order to transport him back to Europe, for a new assignment was awaiting the intrepid reporter, America

Tin Tin in the Congo
Tin Tin flys back to Europe en route for America

The natives of the Congo extol the virtues and exploits of Tin Tin and Snowy, their adventures going into the natives folklore. 

Tin Tin in the Congo
Natives extoling Tin Tin and Snowy

------0------

CHARACTERS

Tin Tin  and  Snowy

COCO

STOWAWAY
TOM

WITCH DOCTOR
MUGANGA

MISSIONARY PRIEST

MR GUBBINS

Cameo Appearances

Hergé 

Quick and Flupke, Hergé, Edgar Jacobs, Thomp(p)son Twins

At the begining of Tintin in the Congo there is a scene where he is seen off on a train en route to hid port of departure for Africa. A crowd includes a cameo of Hergé as a reporter and fellow illustator Edgar P. Jacobs. 

Also present are Quick and Flupke, two other characters whom Hergé illustrated in Le Petit Vingtième. Lurking in the background are Thomson and Thompson, two bungling Scotland Yard detectives who would feature in later adventures of Tintin. 

LOCATIONS

Belgian Congo

LINKS

Official Site

Tintin in the Congo — Tintin.com

Tin Tin Wiki

Tintin Wiki | Fandom

Wikipedia

Tintin in the Congo - Wikipedia

Tin Tin Passion

Les différentes éditions des albums (tintinpassion.net)