INSPIRATION BEHIND TINTIN: The Real Herge

Hergé, otherwise known as Georges Prosper Remi, is one of the best-loved authors in history, yet also one of the most controversial. He created only 24 Tintin books, but The Adventures of Tintin have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 110 languages and are considered to be one of the greatest comic series of all time. Now nearly 40 years after his death, Hergé remains an enigma and a phenomenon. He survived a barrage of scandals, including accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. He was also attacked for appearing to collaborate with the Nazis during WWII. His personal life was no easier. In his later years he would hint at surviving abuse from a relative and would also mention the abuse that was rife within his former Scouting troop. Indeed his original stories do feature racially offensive caricatures, unacceptable by today's standards, but Hergé was a product of a different time. In fact ahead of his time, he introduced Europe to the American style of cartoon strip which incorporated speech bubbles and captured the imagination of millions of children and adults alike. Reluctant to attend book signing sessions in person, he was fiercely loyal to his fans and would write long personal letters in reply, even going so far as to loan money to some of his fans when asked. Privately he battled a debilitating depression and was unhappy with his achievements. Later in life he would say that he hated Tintin, and would have much preferred to have been an artist in the more traditional sense. He had numerous affairs and wanted to leave his marriage, but felt riddled with guilt from his Catholic upbringing and Boy Scout ethos. He was unable to have children and did not want to have a family in any case as they would have disturbed his work too much. Interested in new ideas and people, he loved jazz music and by the 1950s his latest passion was Pop Art. The paranormal always held a fascination for him and in later life he would rely on the opinion of a clairvoyant and even consulted a Jungian psychoanalyst for help when he recorded his most traumatic dreams. This started a lifelong interest in Eastern philosophy, particularly the writings of Tao. The biography looks at the enduring appeal of his phenomenally successful series: 'By believing in his dreams, man turns them into reality' he once said. 172pp for all Captain Haddocks out there. 16 pages of black and white illus.