Tintin Cowboy – Figurines Tintin La Collection Officielle – 30 – Tintin En Cow-Boy

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £55.00
Publisher: Editions Moulinsart
Publication date: 2012
Format: Original pictorial boards with passport and figurine
Condition: In near fine condition
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout

Description:

Original pictorial boards. Includes passport loosely inserted. Text in French. Includes the accompanying figurine. One from the collection of 111 books and figurines. Very slight wear. In very near fine, clean condition overall.

Tintin Cowboy: A Short Biography

The image of Tintin as a cowboy comes from Tintin in America, one of the earliest albums in Hergé’s series. In this adventure, Tintin travels to the United States and, during part of the story, finds himself in the Midwest, where he dons cowboy attire and confronts outlaws on the frontier. The “cowboy Tintin” phase marks an early exploration of the classic adventure hero motif and reveals Hergé’s developing style as both storyteller and satirist.

Context within the Series

Tintin in America (first published in 1931–32) was the third Tintin story, following Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin in the Congo. At this early stage, Hergé’s tone was straightforwardly adventurous and moralistic, reflecting the spirit of 1930s serial storytelling. Tintin, still a very young and idealised hero, travels across the Atlantic to investigate organised crime in Chicago and encounters gangsters, corrupt businessmen, and later, Native American tribes.

It is during this part of the story — set in the “Wild West” — that Tintin temporarily takes on the role of a cowboy.

Tintin in the American West

After tackling gangsters in Chicago, Tintin ventures westward and is captured by a group of Native Americans. He later escapes and finds himself drawn into a series of Western-style escapades. At one point, he adopts cowboy dress — hat, boots, and revolver belt — perfectly in keeping with the iconography of early 20th-century Western films and pulp magazines.

This period of the story shows Tintin at his most resourceful and adaptable. He tames horses, confronts bandits, and rescues innocents, embodying the archetypal Western hero who brings justice and order to a lawless land. Yet, true to Hergé’s sensibility, Tintin remains polite, modest, and fair-minded, showing courage without arrogance.

Artistic and Cultural Influences

Hergé’s portrayal of Tintin as a cowboy reflects his fascination with American cinema, particularly the Westerns of the 1920s and early 1930s. The visuals — broad plains, Native American villages, and horseback chases — draw heavily from Hollywood imagery.

At the time, Hergé had not visited the United States and relied on secondary sources, such as news photographs, illustrated magazines, and popular Western fiction. This reliance lends the story a stylised, almost theatrical quality. Later in his career, Hergé would become more attentive to cultural accuracy, but Tintin in America retains the exuberant, exaggerated charm of early adventure comics.

Themes and Tone

Tintin’s brief transformation into a cowboy symbolises the adaptability that defines his character throughout the series. No matter the setting — Soviet Russia, Africa, America, or the Moon — Tintin immerses himself in local circumstances and takes on the traits of the heroes of that environment. As a cowboy, he exemplifies courage, independence, and justice, values that run through all his incarnations.

At the same time, Hergé uses the cowboy setting to satirise certain aspects of American culture, particularly greed, industrial exploitation, and the displacement of Native peoples. While these themes are presented with the broad strokes typical of early comics, they foreshadow the more thoughtful, globally aware storytelling of later Tintin albums such as The Blue Lotus.

Thematic and Artistic Legacy

The image of Tintin as a cowboy endures as one of the most iconic from his early years. It represents both a phase of youthful exuberance in Hergé’s art and a milestone in Tintin’s evolution as a character who can belong anywhere — adapting to cultures, costumes, and causes while remaining true to his moral core.

While later Tintin stories grew more sophisticated in tone and design, Tintin in America captures a spirit of unrestrained adventure that defined the 1930s. The cowboy imagery — complete with galloping horses, dramatic showdowns, and desert vistas — remains a vivid part of Tintin’s early identity.

Why Buy from Us?

At Hornseys, we are committed to offering items that meet the highest standards of quality and authenticity. Our collection of objects and rare books are carefully curated to ensure each edition is a valuable piece of bibliographical history. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Authenticity and Provenance: Each item is meticulously researched and verified for authenticity and collation.
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Cataloguer: Daniel Hornsey

Daniel Hornsey has specialised in fine and rare books, ephemera, and collectors’ editions for over thirty years. As a long-standing member of the antiquarian book trade, he has advised private collectors, curated catalogues, and sourced works for leading dealers, libraries and institutions across the world.

Hornseys’ exhibit regularly at book and map fairs in London and throughout the UK and are members of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, the PBFA.

His fascination with Hergé’s work — especially ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ — began in childhood. Daniel recalls reading Tintin in original European editions and quickly recognising that these were not merely children’s books, but finely illustrated narratives crafted with artistic depth and wit.

As noted by the Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve, Hergé’s ‘ligne claire’ style has influenced generations of European comic artists and his original drawings and paintings command very high prices with his painting of ‘The Blue Lotus’ jar fetching £2.8m at auction in 2021.

By presenting these works through Hornseys’, he hopes to contribute to the continued appreciation of one of the 20th century’s most influential illustrators, helping new generations discover the artistry and legacy of Hergé.