mridula's Full Review: Herge - Tintin and the Picaros
Tintin is the famous Belgian sleuth, a comic character created by Herge and loved all over the world. He has many adventures in different parts of the world and is inseparable from his dog Snowy. The regular gang and friends of Tintin in these adventures are Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus. They all live in a mansion ‘Marlinspike’ which is managed with the help of their able butler Nester. In many of these adventures we find the official detective force represented by Thomson and Thompson, twins and the worst bunglers ever found outside a Wodehouse novel.
In Tintin and the Picaros Tintin comes after a morning ride on his scooter with Snowy and finds his friend Captain Haddock eagerly waiting for him with some news. Their unwanted guest Bianca Castafiore “the Milanese nightingale” is on a successful singing tour of South America and is about to enthrall the people of ‘Tapiocapolis’ the capital of San Theodoros. She is accompanied by her maid Irma, her accompanist Wanger and Thompson and Thomson who are to ensure the security of her priceless jewels that always travel with her.
San Theodoros is ruled by a tyrant, General Tapioca who seized power in a coup where he threw out General Alcazar, a friend of Tintin and his gang. But things start going wrong from the word go. Bianca Castafiore and her troupe are arrested on their entry to Tapiocapolis for plotting against General Tapioca. The conspiracy is traced back to Marlinspike and the general accuses Tintin, Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus of plotting to overthrow him.
General Tapioca asks for a conference with Tintin and his group so that the air can be cleared. He makes an offer of a safe passage for all the three which they accept after some reluctance on Tintin’s part. In fat he refuses to go and we find only Professor Calculus and Captain Haddock heading out. But Tintin joins them a day later, after all they hang together. Of course, once they are together, they find themselves captive. They manage to escape with some help to General Alcazar and his Picaros. Now they have to help general Alcaraz to mount the coup he is planning, as that is the only way to save Bianca Castafiore and her group.
I enjoyed Tintin and the Picaros. There are many subplots folding and all of them hilarious. First of all the characters are interesting in their own right. . Tintin is a loveable character with his quick thinking ways and attraction to dangers. He is cute and his dog Snowy adorable, ready to lick any whiskey spilled over by captain Haddock.
I simply love the character of Captain Haddock. He is dashing, he is hot tempered, never ventures out without his flask of whiskey and he keeps creating situations that are funny to read but definitely not to be in. When things become too much he goes into his ‘billions of blue blistering barnacles’ chant and vents out.
Professor Calculus is a genius at his work but a little hard of hearing and that leads to some very interesting conversation throughout the book. Bianca Castafiore is a haughty singer and adores Captain Haddock but then she always calls him by a different name like Paddock, Hedgehog and what not. The Captain of course cannot stand her.
Thompson and Thomson are quick to remind us that one of them is with a P and the other without it. With a cast like this there are sure to be fireworks. In this book, Captain Haddock to his horror finds his whiskey tasting like ‘cleaning fluid’ whereas everyone else finds it velvet. When they reach Tapiocapolis jungles, they find the famous warriors Picaros dead drunk by the liquor air dropped by General Tapioca. Here Professor Calculus comes to aid with his new invention, which he has been trying on unsuspecting Captain Haddock. We also meet the fierce General Alcazar’s wife, who is the commander in chief of Alcazar and inside the house issues every command. Finally there is a carnival in the offing and then a rescue mission.
Tintin and the Picarosis quite enjoyable but I find Tintin in Tibet and Tintin and The Castafiore Emerald more engaging. You will find my review of Tintin in Tibet at
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