Week 2 – Tintin

What issues do Herge’s albums raise in terms of representation of ‘race’, and particularly ethnic and cultural stereotyping?

Herge’s albums present several issues of ethnic and cultural stereotyping, particularly in his portrayal of Congolese people in Tintin in the Congo, and of Japanese people in The Blue Lotus. These portrayals serve to reinforce harmful colonial beliefs in the former, and as anti-Japanese propaganda in the latter.

Several negative stereotypes of Africans are used in Tintin in the Congo. In addition to the visual codes such as the ‘juju-lips’ that are often used to caricature Africans, there is also the use of pidgin that is utilised to portray the Congolese as servile, unintelligent and childlike (Mountfort, 2012). For example, when Tintin settles an argument with a pair of Africans by cutting the hat they are arguing about in two, they say to him: ‘White master very fair! Him give half-hat top each one.’ (Hergé, 1931). This serves to infantilise the two Africans by implying that only a European would be able to solve their problems, and that they would be pleased with Tintin’s not particularly useful solution (Mountfort, 2012). The use of pidgin also reinforces a childlike and unintelligent stereotype that is often employed with non-white cultures.

Continuing with this theme, Hergé’s portrayal of Congolese people is through a very white, imperial lens. This can be seen when Tintin is in a classroom filled with African schoolchildren, and points to a map saying, ‘Today I’m going to talk to you about your country: Belgium!’ (Hergé, 1931). Belgium’s occupation and colonisation of the Congo saw the Congolese population halve from twenty million to ten million – a genocide carried out through torturing and executing civilians (Mountfort, 2012). The fact that Tintin wants to teach Congolese schoolchildren about a country that has systematically murdered their own countrymen, and then claim that it is now their country, is indicative of the white saviorism and ownership that colonists hold towards countries they have invaded. Mountfort (2016) describes Tintin in the Congo as a, “sustained valorisation of the appalling Belgian colonial enterprise,” (p. 42). Even Hergé himself justified his portrayal of the Congolese as being through the eyes of the paternalism that existed in Belgium, meaning they viewed their colonisation as an act of saviorism rather than invasion (Farr, 2001, as cited in Mountfort, 2012).

While colonial superiority is the theme of Tintin in the Congo, the ethnic and cultural stereotypes used in The Blue Lotus tell a different story. The Blue Lotus is often attributed to being a turning point in Hergé’s work, largely because he collaborated with Chinese art student Chang Chong-chen and so employed a more sympathetic and understanding portrayal of China during the Japanese invasion of Manchuria (Mountfort, 2012). However, this has come at the expense of the Japanese, who are portrayed in a much more negative light. In addition to being the villains in the story, reductive iconography is used in the drawings of all the Japanese characters, giving them ‘slit’ eyes and other exaggerated and stereotypical Asian features (Mountfort, 2012). This becomes particularly problematic when the Chinese characters are given more ‘neutral’ features so that they look more European, and therefore less foreign and intimidating to Western audiences (Mountfort, 2012). Royal (2007) describes the practice of reductive iconography as stripping away a person’s unique identity and dehumanising them until they are ‘the Other’. This is perhaps why it was employed for the Japanese characters, as the villains of the story, and not for the Chinese, who audiences are meant to sympathise with.

Negative cultural stereotypes are often used in Hergé’s albums, particularly for non-European ethnicities, and this could reflect Hergé’s own beliefs around these cultures. In Tintin in the Congo, it reflects the colonial superiority Belgium held over the Congo and its people, while in The Blue Lotus, it reflects the anti-Japanese sentiment felt by the Chinese, who Hergé was sympathising with.

References

Farr, M. (2001). Tintin: The Complete Companion. John Murray.

Hergé (1931). Tintin in the Congo. Le Petit Vingtième.

Mountfort, P. (2012). ‘Yellow skin, black hair… Careful, Tintin’: Hergé and Orientalism. Australasian Journal of Popular Culture, 1(1), 33-49. https://doi.org/10.1386/ajpc.1.1.33_1

Mountfort, P. (2016). Tintin as Spectacle: The Backstory of a Popular Franchise and Late Capital. Journal of Asia-Pacific Pop Culture, 1(1), 37-56. https://doi.org/10.5325/jasiapacipopcult.1.1.0037

Royal, D. P. (2007). Coloring America: Multi-Ethnic Engagements with Graphic Narrative. MELUS, 32(3), 7-22.

Week 1

How has the academic reception of popular genres changed over time, and what might be the value of studying them?

Genre fiction was historically excluded from the sphere of authorized literary canon for a long time, with its establishment as a new form of literature being resisted by many academics and intellectuals. Bias for what we know as classical literature was challenged with the influx of multi-modal texts that conveyed imagined worlds and unconventional characters, thus not seen as something that could be taken seriously alongside literature that has been regarded as a threshold by the elite.

The emergence of popular genres are often the product of technological development, and society in itself is a structure that has constantly developed and changed over time. To have access to media that does this simultaneously and unconventionally, and to have an openness to understand it’s creation, existence and purpose, will only further develop our capacity to understand and dissect a myriad of ideas that have and still dominate many societies. The acceptance of popular genres and their inclusion in education allows an abundance of creatives from all sorts of walks of life to share their stories in a multitude of ways, coming with them an abundance of culture, experiences and worldviews.

What gaps are there in Hergé’s representations of women?

When it comes to critiquing Herge’s popular magnum opus with all its contextual vulgarities of Othering processed to anything but male Eurocentric centrism’s.

Another facet depicted of Herge’s problematization: the subtle Othering of women in his medium of fiction of Les Aventures de Tintin.

The portrayal of women protagonists in such a canonically widespread (and children’s comic) are often “semi-tragic sexualized objects”. to which such portrayal completely lacking any depiction is either infantilized or characteristically missing from the popular leaven pages of the medium whatsoever.

The iconic exception being here, of course, as Madame Bianca Castafiore (with her position within explored The Castafiore Emerald). her presence does not excogitate the masculine centred narration vastly found throughout Herge’s medium. And is an embarrassment of note.

To which Herge’s replies reflect the recursive perspective reflects of garnered male privilege a neologism entirely coined during the formative inception of the comic and reflected in the art form.

The grotesque social oeuvre applied to recent classical postmodern neologism applied as “Tintinology” has paid a careful study and attention to the widespread decadence portrayed through the medium.

A reflection of study, an examination of the early 21^st century of art form and vehicle of commentary and change.

Which brings forth the vicissitudes of the ethereal questions posited: Where are the women?

Why is there a complete lack of formative representation of the female gender? The promotion of gender and feminism during such early moments of the 21^st century? Where society in grand requisition, desperately needed such promotion, during such sexist points of time?

And why (if so characterized) are female characters from the ornate (and quite socially reflective) piece of the tablet so vastly, so poorly represented?

Comparative critics and studied contemporaries of Tintinologism have subsequently recognized the obvious academic discrepancies of Herge and his popular works.

As a mainstream accessible modern genre carrying flaws, breaking through the assumptions of the adventures of Tintin being a “timeless” or “a flawless classic” for “all ages” that patrons of its viewership cling unto its belief.

To which Herge himself presently orates his argument:

‘Women have nothing to do in a world like Tintin’s. I like women far too much to caricature them. And, besides, pretty or not, young or not, women are rarely comic characters’.

A conversation recorded by noted modern Tintinologist Numa Sadoul(Sadoul, 2003)

This oeuvre where such anti-egalitarian tropes were acceptable as “social norms” during regressively un-cultured and collectively remembered as indeed classified as “primitive times”.

Tropes accepted have been, through have a processional re-examination of what is acceptable within his portrayal as “fiction” in a social contextual sense.

Because fiction, in the 20^th century, rose to become in itself (indeed a fact considered true today), a prominent place in society’s path and means of self-reflection, the issue is problematic and (in context of society vastly relevant) more important than appears by the non-tintinologists. A lesson is here to be learned.

A lesson is most necessarily requisite for academic reception to ensure we do not fail to learn from our histories and repeat mistakes of ignorance, prejudice or privilege. Our past is ours, whether it be othered, socially reprocessed or antiquate unfairly represented – The future should encompass all without fail.

Bibliography

Mountfort, P. (2016). Tintin as Spectacle: The Backstory of a Popular. Auckland: AUT.

Paul Mountfort (2020): ‘Tintin, gender and desire’, Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, DOI: 10.1080/21504857.2020.1729829

Sadoul, N. (2003). Tintin ET Moi . Flammarion .

What is the alleged connection between Hergé’s early comics and propaganda?

During the 21^st century Herge was undeniably an iconic and creative architect of the popular medium of comics.

A figure who seemed to (unwittingly, grossly unintended yet important) attracted and courted controversy in many forms.

His early connection with propaganda was both directly and indirectly manifested through for more than intended reasons.

The first controversy of propagandism we find is through autocratic fascism. – The Rexist party.

There is a social perception perused that during the 1930’s Herge’s Tintin’s creator Herge became a social acquaintance with a Belgian autocrat: Leon Degrelle.

Leon was considered A contemporary of Hitler, Mussolini of the times (or of the “Blue-Shirts” of British fascists fame). Leon was an ambitious Rexist and an aspiring fascist for fascist representation in Belgium.

But who were The Rexists? Wikipedia further contemporaries into delineating a historical characterized definition:

The Rexist Party (French: Parti Rexiste), or simply Rex, was a far-right Catholic, nationalist, authoritarian and corporatist political party active in Belgium from 1935 until 1945.

Léon Degrelle, The Rexist leader, protégé of Hitler, and foreign correspondent of Le Vingtième Siècle, was acquainted with Hergé and sent him “local newspapers in which there were American strip cartoons. That’s how I came across my first comics.” (Hergé, in 1975)

During this time (the mid-1930s), Degrelle became acquainted with the cartoonist Hergé. In a volume published after his death (Tintin mon copain), the Rexist leader claimed that his years of journalism had inspired the creation of The Adventures of Tintin—ignoring Hergé’s statements that the character was based on his brother, Paul Remi.

Degrelle had been shipping Mexican newspapers containing American cartoons to Belgium, and Hergé did admit years later in 1975 that Degrelle deserved credit for introducing him to the comic “strip”.

The contact between them is a cast set in stone in history adding to controversy and taint that will forever foreshadow Herge.

Mountfort continues to eloquently narrate the fascist connection with Herge:

Hergé’s early familiarity with comics was supplied to him from 1928 by Léon Degrelle, a foreign correspondent for the staunchly Catholic and conservative magazine, Le Petit Vingtième, where Hergé worked. Degrelle went on to found the Rexists, Belgian Fascists, becoming their leader in 1935. Disconcertingly, it was he who “introduc[ed] Hergé to the latest transatlantic developments in the strip cartoon”

(Mountfort, 2016)

However, this is not the full delineation of the scenery depicted or Herge’s traumatic encounters with propaganda and controversy. Second example:

Herge’s own presentation of Fascism and Propaganda within his album of the Adventures of Tinitn.

Propaganda extolled by Herge and his ancient regressive views on society

Later enacted social discussions are ineptly carried out through the medium in regards to social a changing world and changing political ideologies. The ideological stance is blatantly Euro-centric and (if considering the USSR as “eastern” obviously persists in subtleties of imperialist and centrist western propaganda )a s”Russian-phobiasms”

Example of propaganda: Two portrayed contrasting viewpoints are introduced in Herge’s comic narration. The approaching the critique of Socialism Bolshevism in a revolutionary Russia ( and Early Laisse Faire Capitalism (Tintin en Amérique) is shown with contrasting yet subtle differences.

Within the discourse within Tintin in America,(Herge, 1932) a fair assemssnet is conducted: Social commentary is presently composition of Late Capitalism is arranged in reflected in the discourse.

A measure whereof prejudice. Where any deviations from the normality of democracy or capitalism are attempted to vilify demonize

Any deviation of the norm is by the masses.

However While the phantasm and spectre Bokshevikism of revolutionary Socialistic Russia is feared by the masses and considerably Othered.

While the grand American experiment of late laisse fair System of Capitalism (in reverence of the genocidal conqueror and “discoverer” Christopher Columbus) is critiqued with different regards, but not feared or Othered to the extent of the dishevel fear mongering visibly appreciated in Tintin and the soviets.

Bibliography

Mountfort, P. (2016). Tintin as Spectacle: The Backstory of a Popular. Auckland: AUT.

Paul Mountfort (2020): ‘Tintin, gender and desire’, Journal of Graphic Novels
and Comics, DOI: 10.1080/21504857.2020.1729829

Week 1 Questions

How has the academic reception of popular genres changes over time?

Popular genres as a field of academic study has not always been widely accepted and studied among universities. Some notable forms of popular genres include anime, comics, fantasy, and science-fiction. Historically, academics have viewed popular genres as simple, exaggerated and formulaic forms of literature (Schneider-Mayerson, 2010). As a result, they were not taken as seriously in comparison to more elevated literary classics at the time. Additionally, the academic elite, typically white, Anglo-Saxon, English speakers, were able to maintain this perspective for many years. However, as popular genres continued to evolve and make use of technological advancements, they have slowly become accepted into the academic realm. Nowadays, popular genre papers are more commonplace in the university curriculum and often sit alongside, or are integrated with, traditional literary papers.

What might the value be of studying them?

Popular genres can be a beneficial subject to study for numerous reasons. As forms of popular genres continue to challenge genre conventions and evolve through new multi-modal techniques, popular genres continue to gain a wider global audience. Consequently, popular genres will hold greater cultural importance and will serve as a cultural artefact of a particular time and place. Additionally, through the accessibility of popular genres, traditionally marginalised groups and individuals can bring their unique experiences and perspectives into new forms of storytelling. Terry Eagleton (Prof. of Cultural Theory at the University of Manchester) argues that because of this, popular genres can now be used as a form of social commentary.

References.

Schneider-Mayerson, M. (2010). Popular fiction studies: The advantages of a new field. Studies in Popular Culture, 33(1), 21-35.

Week 2 Questions

4.What issues do his albums raise in terms of representation of ‘race’, and particularly ethnic and cultural stereotyping?

Tintin, a bestseller that was first published in 1929 and has so far gained worldwide popularity in more than 100 languages, was criticized by the public for its racist content in its early cartoons.
Hergé was active from 1930 to 1970. Since the early days of his activities were when all European powers had colonies since World War I, Hergé draws on his advocacy of imperialism in line with the media’s tone without any other concern. In particular, Tintin in the Congo, which tells an episode about Congo, a colony that was ruled by King Leopold II of Belgium, describes the natives as monkeys, and they serve Tintin and Milou as gods. They say, “The white master very fair! He gave half hat to each one!”( Mountfort, 2016). or they say, “White man very great! Has good spirits … White mister is big juju man!”. However, Hergé took steps to retrieve all the books that were sold and delete the problematic scenes in 1946, as criticism mounted that it contained white supremacy and racial bias.

The views and descriptions of Asian and Native Americans, as well as African-Americans, are not very fair.
In Tintin in the Land of Soviets,” Chinese depicted as pigtailed torturers”( Mountfort, 2016). Hergé also reveals his stereotype of the Chinese, saying that China was just a place full of cruel people who ate rotten eggs, braid their hair, and threw young children into the river.
However, by meeting his Chinese friend Chang Chong-Chen, he learns about Chinese art, philosophy and history and breaks his preconceived notions about the East. Since then, Hergé has repeatedly said he regrets and regrets the racist content he wrote, and when he publishes in the U.S., he accepts the publisher’s demands and modifies racist scenes.

References

Mountfort, P. (2016). Tintin as Spectacle: The Backstory of a Popular Franchise and Late Capital.

Hergé, (1931). Tintin in the Congo.

Week 2 Questions – Tintin

by Rija Faisal

What is the alleged connection between Hergé’s early comics and propaganda?

Tintin, or The Adventures of Tintin, is a comic series by the Belgian cartoonist Herge. Tintin is the titular protagonist of the series. He is a reporter and an adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy.

Known by the pen name Herge, the creator of Tintin, Georges Prosper Remi, was born in 1907 in Belgium. He began his career by contributing illustrations to Scouting magazines. He developed his first comic series, The Adventures of Totor, for Le Boy – Scout Belge in 1926. Working for Le Vingtieme Siecle, a conservative Catholic newspaper, Herge created The Adventures of Tintin in 1929.

The early installments of the Tintin comic series – Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in America and Tintin in Congo – were designed as conservative propaganda.

Herge’s work on the wartime newspaper (Le Soir), which was controlled by the Nazi administration, is well documented, as is the fact that some of his earlier Tintin comics spread far-right ideas to children. Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin in Congo are among the most controversial, with Tintin in the Land of the Soviets being so direct in its anti-communist propaganda that in later years, Herge would try to suppress its publication. In Tintin in Congo, Tintin travels to his country’s former colony and is depicted as “civilizing” the native people ( the natives are portrayed with a combination of racism and inferiority, as stupid and lazy people) and dispensing his “white man’s” knowledge to the natives.

In another Tintin story ( The Shooting Star, about a European expedition to recover a meteorite from the Arctic ) the rival expedition is portrayed as America and it is funded by a greedy Jewish financier named Bluemnstein. He was depicted as a stereotypical Jewish villain. In later editions, Bluemenstein was renamed Bohlwinkel and he came from the fictional country of Sao Rico. The story painted an anti-Semitic caricature that remained even in later years.

References

(20 November, 2017). Why Tintin illustrations by Politically Controversial Herge Break the 1m Mark Artlyst.com. Retrieved from: https://www.artlyst.com/tintin-illustrations-politically-controversial-herge-break-1m-mark/

Week 2: Representation of ‘race’ within The Adventures of Tintin

According to Mountfort (2012) ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ album by Hergé “has been accused of bundling right wing, reactionary and racist viewpoints into its codes of visual representation and storylines.” This is due to the representation of ‘race’, ethnic and cultural stereotyping within Tintin which were raise by readers and critics. For example, within Tintin in the Land of the Soviets (1929) Hergé representation of the Chinese were of pigtailed torturers, as characters have a face that are similar to a pig.

Later Hergé was introduced to a Chinese art student, Chang Chong-chen, they became friends and did a collaboration. Hergé were trying to make up for his mistake with the Tintin’s 5th velums, ‘The Blue Lotus’ (1935), with the story’s setting in China around the mid 1930s. In this volume, Tintin saved and befriend a Chinese boy Change and they talk about the issues of race. However, the issue of stereotyping can still be seen within his work, with the way he represented the japanese character, Mutsuhito with big teeth and round glasses.

Mountfort (2012) argues “that the pervasiveness of the series, its institutionalization in francophone culture, and its currency as a global franchise makes the question one of particular relevance at a time…” As this volume is still his “first serious attempt to depict the Other in less than pejorative terms.” It also showed Hergé courage relating to political at the time and that he is capable of changing his point of views.

References:

Mountfort, P. (2012). ‘Yellow skin, black hair … Careful, Tintin’: Hergé and Orientalism. Australasian Journal of Popular Culture, 1(1), 33-49. doi: 10.1386/ajpc.1.1.33_1

Week 3 : What gaps are there in Herge’s representation of women?

The Adventures of Tintin, though widely popular and loved by many generations has faced serious criticism for racial and ethnic chauvinism. Infact, in Herge’s early comics, his affiliation with right wing propaganda and fascism has also been scrutinized by contemporary critics. While these are very important issues and their discussion promotes the step towards equality and the decrease of stigma and stereotypes, the issue of gender in Tintin albums hasn’t been mentioned in many critical discussions.

There are many layers to the discussion of gender in Tintin, including Herge’s portrayal of women, Tintin’s sexuality or lack of, and the representation of gender roles throughout the 20^th century. There is a noticeable absence of women throughout all of the Tintin albums, and there seems to be deliberate reason for this. In the earliest comics, women only appear to be faces in crowds, submerged into the mass of the background. Later on, some women are given space on the page simply as wives of men who appear in the comics, or subordinate, nagging characters who aren’t given any agency. One of Herge’s explanation for this is that he loves women too much to caricature them, and that they cannot be made into comedic characters. This quite obviously suggests that according to his beliefs, there is no equality between the sexes, because if there were, there wouldn’t be a distinction between who can be portrayed as comical and who cannot. Suggesting that he loves women too much to feature them as protagonist like characters with agency points towards the notion that Herge thought of women as weaker than men, and creatures that must be shielded from the world of comedic social commentary. While Herge didn’t demonize women, or make a mockery out of them in a cruel way, he did however perpetuate sexist stereotypes by treating them as submissive background characters who are subordinate to men. Herge’s statement about women and his portrayal of them is hugely problematic because of the various important social movements throughout the time of the albums being published that worked towards the liberation of and emancipation of women. At the time when his racist portrayal of ethnic groups were critiques, he endeavoured to be more politically correct and improve his portrayal of people of colour. At the time of the 1960’s and 1970’s however, when the sexual revolution was unfolding along with the second wave of feminism, Herge failed to change his depiction of women, or change the way he incorporated them in his comics. This proves that he found some issues worthy of paying attention to, and conforming to the waves of social change, while others he wished to view in a traditionalist, chauvinistic way. In conclusion though, gender and sexuality seem to be a complex and sometimes ambivalent issue in the world of Tintin, so that could be a reason for the confusing statements and portrayal of women.

References: Mountfort, P. (2020). Tintin, gender and desire. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics. https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2020.1729829

Week 2

Week .2 – Popular Genres : What is the alleged connection between Hergé’s early comics and propaganda?

Herge’s series of Tintin comics are widely popular all over the world, and have been childhood favourites for many generations of the 20^th century. The Adventures of Tintin pioneered the rise and popularity of graphic novels, and will always be appreciated as a classic, however there are quite a few issues which must be discussed in a contemporary light.

When choosing to focus on Herge’s politics, it becomes apparent that he didn’t shy away from expressing his views through his artwork, and there are quite a lot of notions which prove to be problematic. Tintin’s adventures lead him to foreign lands, which served as an opportunity for Herge to imbue his right wing and often racist beliefs. This is more relevant in his earlier comics, especially throughout the 1930’s, a time when fascism and propaganda were at their peak, and the world hung suspended between the first and second world war. The Blue Lotus was the first time Herge chose to close up the gap between othering and shares views which are against imperialism. While this is very interesting in the context of what is problematic and what is not, it is important to focus on the chore of his views and beliefs which lie in his earlier comics.

Tintin in The Land of the Soviets is one of the most propagandistic accounts of Herge’s fascism, as there are many anti Bolshevik insinuations, including negative commentary on communism. Though Herge didn’t publicly speak out about fascism or the Nazi occupation of Belgium, the connotations in his comics speak for themselves. Tintin being portrayed as a hero and overt nationalist definitely point towards fascist and Nazi values. The notion of heroism is associated with leadership which connects to the idea of the ‘fuhrer’. Tintin often visited foreign lands where he acted as superior and took on the role of being heroic, while preaching unmistakably nationalist views.

Tintin in the Congo portrays some of Herge’s most racist and colonialist views, so much so that even he himself believed it to be a mistake of his youth. Though his commentary when asked about the issue is more apologetic about the outcry it caused, rather than the problematic portrayal of African people. His response still held a sense of colonialism as he believed he took on a ‘paternal’ role when depicting the Africans, and that it fits into the social setting of the time. The comic itself is graphically offensive, as much as it is textually, featuring stereotypical and caricaturised drawings of African people. In the story, Tintin looks down upon the tribe he encounters and acts as the great white saviour, who can help the uncivilized population. Congo having been a Belgian colony, Tintin feels the need to educate the Congolese people about their country Belgium, which proves the extent of Herge’s nationalist tendencies. The racist portrayal of ethnic groups is something that Walt Disney was also guilty of ; the connection between animation, cartoons, comics and racism being rather fascinating. Walt Disney was known to be affiliated with the Nazi party, so it isn’t difficult to connect Herge

References: Mountfort, P. (2016). Tintin as Spectacle: The Backstory of a Popular Franchise and Late Capital.