Hergé — Tintin and Alph-Art — First Egmont Edition, 2004 — Tintin’s Final Unfinished Adventure

HERGÉ (Georges Remi).
Tintin and Alph-Art: Tintin’s Last Adventure.
London: Egmont Books Limited, 2004. First Egmont edition. Quarto. 62 pages. Illustrated throughout with reproductions of Hergé’s original pencil drawings, preparatory sketches, notes and unfinished comic-strip artwork. Original publisher’s pictorial laminated boards with red cloth-effect spine.

Description

A very good plus copy of the first Egmont edition of Tintin and Alph-Art, published in Great Britain in 2004 to coincide with the seventy-fifth anniversary of Tintin’s first appearance in 1929.

The twenty-fourth and final title in The Adventures of Tintin, Tintin and Alph-Art occupies a unique position in the history of one of the world’s most celebrated comic-book series. Unlike the preceding adventures, it was never completed by its creator, Hergé (1907–1983), who died while working on the story. Rather than presenting a finished comic strip, the book reproduces Hergé’s surviving sketches, rough layouts, handwritten notes and preparatory drawings, giving readers an unusual opportunity to examine the creative process behind a Tintin adventure.

Originally published posthumously in French by Casterman in 1986, the unfinished work was subsequently presented in a substantially revised format in 2004. This Egmont edition brings together the surviving narrative, English-language dialogue and original working drawings in a more accessible arrangement than that of the earlier publication. The book is particularly interesting because it preserves Hergé’s final thoughts concerning Tintin, Captain Haddock and their companions, together with the direction in which he intended to develop his last adventure.

Tintin and Alph-Art: The Final Adventure

Hergé began developing Tintin and Alph-Art towards the end of the 1970s, following the publication of Tintin and the Picaros in 1976.

The proposed adventure reflected his growing personal interest in contemporary and avant-garde art. Hergé had become an enthusiastic collector of modern painting and sculpture, developing a particular appreciation of twentieth-century artistic movements. Rather than sending Tintin to a remote country or involving him in a conventional international conspiracy, Hergé planned to explore the fashionable and sometimes mysterious world of modern art galleries, artistic personalities and the commercial art market. The story introduces a movement known as Alph-Art, associated with the fictional artist Ramo Nash, whose work involves letters and abstract forms.

Captain Haddock becomes drawn into this unfamiliar artistic environment after an encounter connected with Bianca Castafiore. The investigation subsequently leads Tintin towards a network of suspicious characters and activities involving the art trade. At the centre of the emerging mystery is Endaddine Akass, a mysterious spiritual leader whose activities suggest connections between the art world, religious sects and criminal deception. The developing narrative incorporates art forgery, manipulation, fashionable social circles and questions concerning the commercial value of artistic objects. These themes reflected subjects that interested Hergé during the final years of his life.

However, the story remained incomplete. Although Hergé developed substantial elements of the plot and prepared numerous drawings and notes, he never produced a finished album or established a definitive ending.

Condition

Very good plus. First Egmont edition, 2004. Quarto. Original publisher’s gold-coloured pictorial laminated boards with red spine. Illustrated throughout with reproductions of Hergé’s original sketches, preparatory drawings and unfinished artwork. The binding remains nice and tight. There is a small bump to the upper right-hand corner of the front board and corresponding minor bumping to the upper corner of the rear board. The original pictorial boards remain bright and attractive, with only minor signs of handling. Internally, the pages and illustrations are very nice and clean throughout.

A very good plus, tight and clean copy of the first Egmont edition of Tintin and Alph-Art, published for Tintin’s seventy-fifth anniversary in 2004.

Bibliographical Details

Author and Illustrator: Hergé (Georges Remi)
Title: Tintin and Alph-Art
Subtitle: Tintin’s Last Adventure
Original French Title: Tintin et l’Alph-Art
Translators: Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper and Michael Turner
Publisher: Egmont Books Limited
Place of Publication: London
Date: 2004
Original French Publication: Casterman, 1986
Edition: First Egmont Edition
Series: The Adventures of Tintin, Volume 24
Format: Quarto
Pagination: 62 pages
Illustrations: Reproductions of original pencil drawings, rough page layouts, sketches and handwritten notes, with some colour illustrations
Binding: Original gold-coloured pictorial laminated boards with red spine
Printed Price: £9.99
ISBN: 1 4052 1448 1
Special Feature: Tintin 75th Anniversary emblem
Condition: Very Good Plus
Catalogue Number: 004228

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Hornseys has been established in Ripon, North Yorkshire, since 1976, giving us nearly fifty years of experience in handling rare books, illustrated books, maps, art and other collectable material.