Everybody say “hello” to our first Tintin Fan of the Month, Stephen Holmes!
Q: Where were you born and where do you live now?
A: New Orleans, Louisiana
Q: What is your favorite Tintin book and why?
A: No one favorite, they all elicit wonderful memories of my childhood. Perhaps the moon series brings home the most memories.
Q: Who is your favorite Tintin character and why?
A: Captain Haddock. Just for the comic relief.
Q: What was the first sign of your obsession?
A: I grew up living overseas, and continue to travel quite a bit. It’s a trip down memory lane to bump into a Tintin boutique while traveling, or seeing Tintin comics at flea markets. About 10 yrs ago (?) I started collecting French language versions while on a long vacation in France, then seeing the Tintin store in Tokyo a few years ago re-sparked the obsession.
Q: How do you express your obsession?
A: Starting a Pediatric Dental practice, and not wanting to fall back on the stereotypical motifs (underwater murals, jungle scenes, stuffed animals), I decided I had a great opportunity to buy a bunch (all?) of Tintin posters and use that for a different look. I hired an architect to try to incorporate the look, which really meant the color palate.
New Orleans is a fairly cosmopolitan city, with a strong French background, and I think Tintin may get a positive response from many of the locals. Even those families unfamiliar with Tintin think the art is “way cool.” Which it is of course!
Q: What is your favorite piece of Tintin merchandise and where did you get it?
A: The larger sculptures are awesome. Love my Rocket! Now if I can just keep the kids from trying to play with it. It’s not a toy! (Well, it’s my toy!) I got it from France to take advantage of the exchange rate. Saved some money, but it took a long time to get here. Probably won’t do that again.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Just another Tintin fan, but lucky enough to be able to display my passion at work. Maybe I’ll work on a display cabinet for the cool little pieces. Wish they made really big sculptures!
The Tintin Fan of the Month receives fame and notoriety through this blog and a $25.00 gift certificate to be used toward any purchase at ShopTintin.com. For more information on how to become a Fan of the Month, please visit the Fan Page.
