"Destination New York" is the second of three "Jo, Zette and Jocko" albums published in English. (The first two albums have never been translated.) It follows on from [b:Mr. Pump's Legacy (The Stratoship H.22, Part One)|1285995|Mr. Pump's Legacy (The Stratoship H.22, Part One) (The Adventures Of Jo, Zette And Jocko)|Hergé|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327770403s/1285995.jpg|1275065] as our titular trio embark on a daring round-the-world flight.

Whereas "Mr. Pump's Legacy" had a "Famous Five" feel about it, this volume is far more fantastical, as the journey takes the kids from the equator to the North Pole. In spite of this, the story relies on Herge's trademark deflating humour (the kids explain their situation to an Eskimo in pidgin English, only for him to reveal he's learned the language years ago). The villains are more complex than in the first half, with a splinter through their group. One villain gives up the fight, not just because he's suddenly reformed, but because of the danger of the enterprise. It's quite a neat psychological moment, comparable even to few things in the 'Tintin' canon.

Even for such a fantastical story, there's only one annoyance: that one of the main villains just happens to be on the same beach where Jo and Zette unexpectedly land at one point! Apart from this, Herge gives us a surprisingly broad story. We follow Professor Legrand as much as his children, and Jocko gets his own story as he sets off for New York. They all tie in to one another toward the climax though, when Madame Legrand gets in on the action, as she gets to hear an important dying confession. Any character could've fulfilled this role, but clearly Herge wanted to give even his housewife character some fun.

There's a lot to love in this volume. It perhaps sacrifices some of the pure realism of "Mr. Pump's Legacy", but rewards us with non-stop action. Jocko is just adorable in his little hooded coat, and it's interesting to note the parallels to early Snowy in how he fights with walruses, polar bears, and the like. There are some lovely callbacks to the first volume (particularly on the last pages), and some great satire. My favourite frame has to be reporters besieging the triumphant children: "How did you feel during the flight? Do you like icecream? Do you play with dolls?" While the final plot twist seems like an unnecessary coda (complete with overly simple solution), it's the only moment in the album that reveals its original serialised format. Quite a step up from the chase-escape-chase format of "Mr. Pump".

If there is one interesting item of note, it's in the death of a poor stuntman - employed by the villains, yes, but not himself of malicious intent. He is killed in a rather brutal crash, in a death that would be rare in 'Tintin'. Perhaps "Coeurs Vailliants" - a magazine more involved with its 'traditional family values' - was happier to trade in black-and-white morality than Herge's usual approach. It's not a sour note, but certainly a noticeable one.

All in all, I've enjoyed "Jo, Zette and Jocko" thus far. They don't have the durability of Tintin, certainly: there are no delightful secondary characters, and undoubtedly the agency of these children would've faltered if they continued to have adventures (ten-year-olds can't get away with quite as much as reporters), but they're worth a look nonetheless. ( )