Tintin au Congo Ford T Noire 1910 Hergé Moulinsart 1/43

Tintin in the Congo – The adventure that built a legend

First published in 1931 in Le Petit Vingtième, Tintin in the Congo is the second installment in Hergé’s world-famous series. It’s in this story that the young Belgian reporter and his loyal dog Snowy truly take shape as the adventurous duo that would define European comics for generations.

Working for the Catholic newspaper Le Vingtième Siècle, Hergé created the story within the colonial mindset of the time. Tintin travels to Central Africa, where he encounters wild animals, villains, and the local inhabitants in a tale filled with slapstick humor and action. The album’s visual identity — clean lines, expressive characters, and cinematic pacing — laid the foundation for the legendary ligne claire style.

However, Tintin in the Congo has since become one of the most controversial works in the series. Its colonial stereotypes and depiction of African people have been widely criticized as reflective of early 20th-century European attitudes. Hergé himself later acknowledged these limitations, and in 1946, he redrew and colorized the album for modern publication.

Beyond controversy, the album remains a cornerstone of comic book history. It marks Hergé’s evolution toward visual storytelling mastery and showcases the youthful energy that would make Tintin an international icon.

Today, Tintin in the Congo is studied as both a cultural artifact and a work of art, a piece to be read critically yet appreciated for its place in the long journey of graphic storytelling.