King Ottokar’s Sceptre (1946, added material 2011) by Herge. This is one of the great Herge’s Adventures of Tintin graphic novels. I fell in love with these adventures when I was in either 5th or 6th grade. That was about the same time I first discovered libraries and all the treasures they held.
Perhaps it was the “boy’s own adventure” which captured me. Our hero, Tintin, is a young reporter in many of these stories and perhaps I could relate to the character back then. Or it might have been the clean illustrations that showcased every story. The pictures were both two dimensional yet fully formed in a three dimensional manner that is hard to describe. Here, the author/illustrator from Belgium, had a manner of bringing individuality and presence to everything he drew, be it human, animal, place or machine.
And there was nothing Tintin could not do, be it trail a suspect, leap off a fast moving train or fly a plane. Whatever faced him, he never backed away. A very endearing quality that would ensure faithful readership no matter what language the words might be translated into. Tintin was everything a boy would want to be and what any girl might admire.
And don’t get me started on his faithful sidekick, Snowy.
In this tale Tintin finds himself in the middle of a plot to oust the leader of a free country in the Balkans and allow the evil neighboring country to invade. We find the bumbling Thompson and Thomson, police detectives, along for the ride and some comic relief. Despite the odds you know somehow, someway, Tintin will save the day, all in full color.
This edition from Little, Brown and Company has an additional 20 pages covering the author’s life, inspirations for his work and details about the country that plays a major role in this book. It adds an extra quality to the story and allows the reader to understand a great deal more about the character and the efforts made in producing this book.
Finally, Tintin, though not as widely know or popular as he once was, had a major influence on many other kids like me, only they allowed their artistic side to come out. If you wonder who those kids grew into, check out the Tintin movie from several years back. Reading this book, or any of the Tintin books and then watching the movie and you might have a greater appreciation for the film. ( )