An Introduction:
Hello! My name is Nadim Damluji and I am an aspiring Tintinologist. I am also a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, which means that for one full year I get to travel outside the United States pursuing an independent research project. My area of study is The Adventures of Tintin, created by the beyond talented, but very problematic, foundational Belgian cartoonist Hergé (for the uninitiated, may I recommend a brief Wikipedia skim?). As with most Tintin enthusiasts, I became engrossed with the adventures of Tintin as a child: it was not only my first foray into comics, but to distant landscapes like India, China, Russia, and more. Throughout my life, Tintin has remained as a constant source of wonder, escape, and admiration; however, the comics are not without their problems.
As much as I love Tintin, Snowy, Haddock, and their many adventures, I believe it is important to acknowledge that Hergé, although masterful at his craft, never left the confines of his Belgium studio while illustrating distant places. The result leaves The Adventures of Tintin deeply reflective of the colonial attitudes present of the time they were created, relying on portrayals of “other” as punchline material and basing non-white characters primarily on stereotype or myth. This form of Orientalism is perhaps most prominent in Tintin in the Congo (currently facing a lawsuit), but I argue it persists throughout all of the the adventure comics.
Hence, this is what I’m devoting my year to: reconciling Tintin as a culturally beloved work and as an ultimately quite racist hero. I aim to do this by traveling to the places where Tintin traveled, where the comics are actively marketed, and where there is a budding or strong contemporary comics culture. In these locations (in order: Belgium, France, Egypt, UAE, Taiwan, China) I plan to engage in conversations with fellow fans about Tintin and hope to make sense of the complex figure.
This blog is the natural extension of my Tintin research, where I will catalogue my thoughts, photos, interviews, and stories from my year chasing Tintin. Just to preempt some questions: this is not some elaborate viral marketing for Peter Jackson’s and Steven Spielberg’s Tintin film (although it does come out soon after I get back!), I leave July 1st for Brussels, and I am, in fact, living the dream. Other than that, please get in touch with me via e-mail or ask me anything.
