Tintin Magazine from France - 1948

As I have mentioned before in my blog, Tintin started in a newspaper supplement that was called "Le Petit Vingtième".  When World War II came along, the paper stopped being published and the story that was in the midst of being told, Tintin au Pays de l'Or Noir, (Tintin is the land of Black Gold) remained unfinished.  After the war , in 1946, a new publication was started up in Belgium.  It was simply called Tintin.  Two years later a French version of the magazine started to be published.  It was in this magazine that Tintin au Pays de l'Or Noir was serialized in a slightly modified version and renamed to L'Or Noir, or Black Gold.

The French Tintin magazine was far more sophisticated in its presentation and content from Le Petit Vingtième.  It had several serialized comic strips in addition to the Tintin serial, and also had other content that would be of interest to its readers.  In this particular issue, there is one comic strip dedicated to the life of the French General Leclerc.  There is also an article on the B-29 bomber.

But the purpose of the magazine revolves around the comics.  Eight strips in all in this magazine, including Le Stratonef H.22 by Hergé (shown below), and Le Secret de L'Espadon by Jacobs.  The strategy of the magazine was to basically string the reader along until a future date when a complete album would be publish with a complete story.  If a reader couldn't wait for a complete album, they could purchase the weekly magazine to get their fix....one page at a time!  

There is a lot more to look at in these magazines, and I have several more issues I can show.  As I mentioned before...French and Belgian comics have a very rich heritage.  This Tintin magazine is a small example.

Until next time....