Day 11

The Secret of the Unicorn

The Secret of the Unicorn was one of the first truly great Tintin adventures and allegedly Hergé’s personal favorite, combining a puzzling mystery with a ripping pirate yarn. When Tintin finds a magnificent model ship in the street market, his attempt to buy it for Captain Haddock leads him on a trail of pickpockets, burglars, and secret treasure, and Haddock enthralls him with a tale of his seafaring ancestor, Sir Francis Haddock (who was exclaiming “Thundering typhoons!” generations before the Captain ever did), and his fateful encounter with the fearsome pirate Red Rackham. The story is also notable for Hergé’s fantastic eye for ship detail as well as the first appearances of Nestor and Marlinspike Hall. The Secret of the Unicorn was Tintin’s first official two-book adventure, continued in Red Rackham’s Treasure.

24 Days of Tintin Special Merchandise!

Day Eleven: The Secret of the Unicorn Special Package. Expires 8:00 am November 30. NOT INCLUDED IN UPCOMING CYBER MONDAY SALE. Includes a fantastic pop-up book with scenes and details from the story; a hardcover version of the story in French; and a collectible car. Regularly priced at $122.90, this package is available for $61.45 – 50% off – for a 24-hour period only. Purchase it now.

Product details
Pop-up book: Wonderful large-scale pop-up book with scenes and details from The Secret of the Unicorn. In full color, hardcover, and in French. Also available as Le Trésor De Rackham Le Rouge.. Measures approximately: 14 x 11.5 x 1 inches. Hardcover Book: French hardcover version of The Secret of the Unicorn. In brilliant color. Measures: 9 x 12 inches/22.86 x 30.48 cm. Collectible car: The truck of the kidnappers from The Secret of the Unicorn. One driver and delivery man as passenger. Measures 4.5 inches in length.

The Tintin map was especially created by Chris Tregenza who run’s a Tintin blog on the forthcoming Tintin movie. A full map showing all of Tintin’s 23 journeys is available for purchase from his site.

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN

Brought to you by Tintinology

Marlinspike Hall first appears in The Secret of the Unicorn and by the end of second part of the Story (Red Rackham’s Treasure), the house belongs to Captain Haddock and acts as a base for the pair during their future adventures. The original French name for Marlinspike is Moulinsart and was derived by reversing the name of the Belgium town of Sartmoulin. The actual building of Marlinspike Hall is based on Château de Cheverny in France. More information about Marlinspike Hall.

Day 10

The Shooting Star

The only Tintin story printed during the Nazi occupation of Europe, Hergé takes Tintin on a fantastical journey to investigate a fallen meteorite and its effects on vegetation. This one has our favorite image of Snowy (see below). Like all of Hergé’s albums, The Shooting Star is rich in narrative and rich in historical context.

24 Days of Tintin Special Merchandise!

Day Ten: The Shooting Star Special Package. Expires 8:00 am November 29. NOT INCLUDED IN UPCOMING CYBER MONDAY SALE. Includes a sturdy Tintin wallet because every adventurer needs a secure place for his/her money; sticky memo pad for writing down important notes; and a shirt to show your love. Regularly priced at $87.90, this package is available for $61.53 – 30% off – for a 24-hour period only. Purchase it now.

Product details
Wallet: Amazing Tintin wallet. Snap closure, pockets galore, and super durable. Great for a man or woman. Closed, the wallet measures 5.5 x 4 inches. Open all the way, and it measures 11.25 x 5.5 inches. See more images of the wallet. Sticky memo: Etoile/Star. Adhesive notes that allow you to take notes and stick them somewhere so that you remember what you need to do. Measures: 7.5 x 10 x 1 cm / 2.95 x 3.94 x .4 inches. Snowy in Action: Pink T-shirt in adult sizes. Gift boxed.

The Tintin map was especially created by Chris Tregenza who run’s a Tintin blog on the forthcoming Tintin movie. A full map showing all of Tintin’s 23 journeys is available for purchase from his site.

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE SHOOTING STAR

Brought to you by Tintinology

The Shooting Star was written during World War II whilst Belgium was under German occupation. In the original version the rival expeditions was explicitly American, something that pleased the Germans who had control over what was and was not printed. In later editions, the rival expedition came from the fictional country Sao Rican.

Our favorite Snowy image and quote at the store. (page 27)

Day 9

Crab with the Golden Claws

The Crab with the Golden Claws is best known for introducing Tintin’s best friend and one of the series’ most memorable characters: Captain “Blistering Barnacles” Haddock. As Tintin is investigating a mysterious can of crab and a drowned sailor, he meets Haddock, a “miserable wretch” who’s being kept in ample alcohol so his insidious first mate, Allan, can run a drug operation. Crab had to be lengthened to fit the standard 62-page format; fortunately, Hergé achieved this by, among other additions, creating four marvelous full-page spreads.

24 Days of Tintin Special Merchandise!

Day Nine: The Crab with the Golden Claws Special Package. Expires 8:00 am November 28. NOT INCLUDED IN UPCOMING CYBER MONDAY SALE. Includes a Captain Haddock figurine because this is the story when Tintin meets Haddock; a book cover poster in French; 2010 Agenda; and a Snowy coat rack. Regularly priced at $116.35, this package is available for $81.44 – 30% off – for a 24-hour period only. Purchase it now.

Product details:
Figurine: Captain Haddock is a true friend and faithful confidant to Tintin. Approx. 3 inches tall. Poster: Measures approx. 20 x 28 inches. 2010 Agenda: This A5 agenda fits into many bags and nicely on a desk. Great gift for the special Tintin fan in your life who needs a little more help organizing their life. Snowy (Milou) Coat Rack: Let Snowy help with your coat. Wood coat hooks measuring 11 x 9 x 2.25 inches.

The Tintin map was especially created by Chris Tregenza who run’s a Tintin blog on the forthcoming Tintin movie. A full map showing all of Tintin’s 23 journeys is available for purchase from his site.

FUN FACTS ABOUT CRAB WITH THE GOLDEN CLAWS

Brought to you by Tintinology & Tintinblog

The Crab with the Golden Claws features the first appearance of Captain Haddock. The captain’s drinking problem caused problems for Hergé in America where the publishers disliked the use of alcohol in a children’s book. The US edition was altered to leave out scenes of Haddock drinking directly from the bottle.

One California customer of ShopTintin reported that her local library banned this book because it shows Captain Haddock drunk. Mon dieu!

Day 8

King Ottokar’s Sceptre

First published in French in 1939, and written at the time Europe was under the thumb of totalitarianism: Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Hergé takes Tintin through a sequence of strange events to the mythical Kingdom of Syldavia, which we learn much about in this book. The drawings and information which bring this country to life : a combination between Zenda and Albania, are amazing. A plot by Fascists based in neighboring Borduria is hatched to unseat King Muskar, involving the seizure of the symbol of the Syldavian monarchy, the mediaeval King Ottokar’s Scepter. Tintin is called to the rescue. Once more these charming comics are an interesting commentary on events at the time, through the eyes of Hergé.

24 Days of Tintin Special Merchandise!

Day Eight: The Black Island Special Package. Expires 8:00 am November 26. Includes a Tintin “Gym Bag”; Hardcover Book in French; Tintin figurine; and a Barking Snowy Plush. Regularly priced at $88.85, this package is available for $66.63 – 25% off – for a 24-hour period only. Purchase it now.

Product details:
Gym Bag: Lightweight and easy to pack and carry. Blue and beige “gym bag” that closes when the cords are tightened. Great for a kid or adult. Measures 12.5 x 16.5 inches. Hardcover Book in French: French hardcover version of King Ottokar’s Sceptre. In brilliant color. Measures: 9 x 12 inches/22.86 x 30.48 cm. Tintin Figurine: No Tintin collection is complete without the Boy Reporter. Barking Snowy Plush: Press his belly and Snowy lets out a cute bark. Great for a set of keys or hanging from a bag.

The Tintin map was especially created by Chris Tregenza who run’s a Tintin blog on the forthcoming Tintin movie. A full map showing all of Tintin’s 23 journeys is available for purchase from his site.

FUN FACTS ABOUT KING OTTOKAR’S SCEPTRE

Brought to you by Tintinology

Written in 1938, King Ottokar’s Sceptre is one of Herge’s most political books, drawing on the dangerous and volatile situation immediately prior to World War II. The attempted annexation of Syldavia has overtones of the German annexation of the Sudetenlands; the Borduria planes are copies of German fighters of the era; and the leader of the conspirators is called Mussttler, and amalgamation of Hitler and Mussolini.