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TINT IN
REPOQTEQ I=OQ "LE PETIT VINGTI~ME ..
IN THE LAND OF
THE SOVIETS
This first adventure of Tintin, the boy reporter. appeared in 1929 in a children·s
supplement to a Belgian daily newspaper. Le Vingtieme Siecle. Herge. Georges
Remi. then twenty-two years old, was employed on the staff as an artist. He had
received no formal art training, but was already showing the originality and wit
that would make him a unique figure in the world of the strip cartoon.
Herge's satire on the Soviet state was very much of its time. He himself had
not been to Russia, but had read a book published the year before, Moscou sans
voiles: Neuf ans de travail au pays des Soviets by Joseph Douillet, a former
Belgian consul in Rostov-on-Don. Soviet propaganda to persuade the world
outside Russia that the economy was booming was a particular target for Herge,
as were the activities of the secret police. the OGPU. Incidentally, he errs on one
occasion 1n the story when he calls them the Cheka, their name before 1922.
Publication in Le Petit Vingtiem_e began on 10 January 1929. In 1930 the
adventure was issued in album form, now a very rare book greatly sought after,
the 500 copies being numbered and signed "Tintin et Milou". There were, it is
believed, nine subsequent editions, differing only in the layout of the print on the
title page. With the exception of a reissue in 1969 for the personal use of the
author, again limited to 500 copies, and some pirated editions, more than forty
years elapsed before this adventure was again published, in the first volume of
the Archives Herge. This volume (in which the original versions of Tintin au
Congo and Tintin en Amerique also appear) includes a page which originally
appeared in Le Petit Vingtieme No. 60, omitted for no apparent reason from the
first edition in album form. lt is reproduced here as page 97 A.
L. L -C. M. T.
LET'S HOPE NO
ONE PINCHES OUR
SEATS AGAIN.
• 0
• •
• •
I I<EALLY CUT A DASH IN THIS
UN IFORM f
A MOIOI< BIKE ! HERE'S HOPING WE
JU51 WHAT WE DOf.J'T MEET AGAIN f
NEED! ... MOSCOW, HEI<E
WE COME!
WHERE IN
THE ....?
WE MUST
HUQQY !THEY'RE
AFTEQ US FOR
SURE!
HE'S A O NE!
ALWAYS SOME-
THING UP HIS
SLEEVE.'
IT LOOKS AS
IF HE 'S DEAD.'
I'LL CATCH MY
DEATH 1 AFTEI2
GETTING 50 HOT!
WHAT DOES THE
PEOPLE'S COMM ISSA!<
WANT WITH ME ?
HEY, WHY
DON'T I BUY
SOME MORE
CLOTHES.
THESE AAE
A SIT
WO~N.'
NO-
TH ING WHAT'S
THEI<'E T INTI N
FOR A GONE IN
DOG'S THERE FOI< ?
DINNER !
I'LL HAVE TO WAIT ...
I rvtUSTN'T LET H IM
GET AWAY/
•••
'
. I
?! ... FUNNY . IN
FACT, MOST PECULIAR .
HE DIDN'T SLIP ... ANV THE BANANA
SKIN HAS DISAPPEARED I'LL
HAVE TO GO ON FOL-
LOWING HIM .
I.., --=:?1...
'I
..
Q. 1 .,.
·.
•
SO WHAT HAPPENED
DINNER?...
FULL SPEED AH~AD ! ... WE'RE GAINING ON HIM !
IN TEN MINUTES WE' LL.. IN THE
~ESTAURANT - CAR. ~-------------
THIS SPEED
TEI<I<IF IES ME
... I'D RATHER
NOT LOOK!
?•
I'VE ALWAYS TOLD YOU, SNOWY, YOU MUST NEVE~
GET OUT Of A MOVING VEH ICLE ... AND CERTAINLY
NEVER JUMP OFF BACKWARDS !
TINTIN KNOWS I
SIMPLY LOATHE
HIKING.
PHEW ! THAT WAS A NAI<QOW A TOWN AT LAST... SUT
SQUEAK(... WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE ?
?f
L
GI<EAT SNAKES !...
JUST STAGE EFFECTS!
.. . THEY'RE SIMPLY
.BURNING .BUNDLES
OF STRAW TO MAKE
SMOKE COME OUTOF
FALSE CHIMNEYS !
THAT'S HOW THE SOVIETS FOOL NOW, WE'LL HAVE DINNER ...
THE POOR IDIOTS WHO STILL WE'VE EARNED IT!...
.BELIEVE IN A r-~~----------~
"!ZED PAI<ADISE ·~
COME AND EAT WITH US...
SORRY, I HAVEN'T ANY CHANGE
TO GIVE
ELECTIONS FOR
THE SOVIETS .'
WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN?
COMRADES, YOV HAVE THREE LISTS BEFORE
FIRST IS THAT OF THE COMMVN 1ST PARTY ...
JUST WAIT A
MOMENT .. . AND
YOU'LL SEE WHAT
IT MEANS TO
THREATEN TINTIN.
c)'~IJ
. }t
~
•• 0
I MV'5T DO A GOOD I WONDEI< IF THAT'S
ARTICLE ... ENOUGH COPY ?
THERE, THAT'S DONE. E>UT HOW
CAN I GET THIS BACK TO THE
OFFICE?
zzzt.zZ.
zzt.ZZ
zzzz zzzz
TINTIN .~ ..TINTIN .1 HELLOr
WAKE UP.' WHAT'S
GOING ON?
THEY HAVEN'T NOTICED MY KEY
IS STILL IN THE LOCK.
Cr2UMBS .1 THEY' ~E
THIS TIME I BREAKING THE OOOQ
KNOW HE WON'T DOWNf
ESCAPE ... HE'S
CORNEr2ED !
I'LL JUST CHECK
THERE'S NO ONE
UNDER THE E>ED!
BEAI<D! THIS FULL
TIME 11 M
GOING IN .1
HURRY UP,
TINT IN I THEY'RE
RUSHING THE
DOOR!
MICROBES, WHAT AI<E YOU SE
IN THIS ROOM ?
HAVE MY
EYEHOLES
GOT TO?
WE' QE IN A SEWEQ ...
COME ON 1 WE MUST FI ND
THE WAY OUT.
TINTIN, I'M
FED UP WITH
THIS.'
HUH!
NOTHING TO BE DONE ... I'M
CONDEMNED TO DIE IN THIS
I<AT- HOLE ... YOU GO, SNOWY...
SAVE YOURSELF . . . YOU CAN
GET OUT.
... SCOUNDREL !
GET MOVING! TO THE I WILL, ONCE YOU STOP
POLICE STATION ! SHAKING ME LIKE A RAG
DOLL .
NOW WE'RE IN
A FINE MESS.
HELLO?
·HERGE
THEY SHOOT LIKE A SOUAD
OF ROOKIES !
f!>Y DIMITRIEV SOLOVZ-
TENXOPZTZKI . .. I'LL HAVE
HIM HANGED !
--
IN FIVE MINUTES WE'LL HAVE HIM
AT OUR MEK'CY.
------....
--~~) I )
--
- ~~
IN YOU GO !
/
IN A FEW HOURS WE'LL BE IN MOSCOW .
a
c:9------~~
NO M012E PETROL ... HAPPILY! IF THERE
WERE, WE'D HAVE BE!;N ROASTED ALIVE !
--·
WE DON'T HAVE A PUMP ...
ALL RIGHT!...
I'M STOPPING ! ...
YOUQ PAPERS A12E NOT IN
Or2DEI2 ( COME WITH US !
MY PAPEQS NOT
IN 012DEQ?
THAT E;XPLAINS THE DAMP (OME .1...
IN THIS CELL .1 HUI2QY UP .1
THE PRISON
GOVERNOr.?
15 WAITING
FOI2 YOU.
GET GOING !... TO THE T012TUI<E
CHAMBEI2 .
THOSE SHRIEKS
ARE 12EALLY MOST
UNPLEASANT !
I MUST PQETEND TO BE STAQT THINK ING!
EXHAUSTED BY THE TORT URE ! 012 WILL B>E HEQE
HOUQ TO IN TER-
QOGATE YOU .1
.
•
0
----
THERE'S SNOWY HEADING
THE SAME WAY.
TINTIN ... f
SAVE ME.
B~UTES ...
HE HASN 'T MOVED AT
SO QUICKLY ... QEADY..
AIM ...
THEY' QE D ISTIZIBUTING
FQEE BI2E.AD TO THE
MOSCOW P0012 . LET'S
SEE HOW THEY
OPEI<ATE .. .
······
IT'S ALL
-
THE OGPU MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN
ANOTHER DAY TO SEND US OUT
AFTEI2 THAT .J()UI2NALI$T
SPY, TINTIN!
YOU'I2E GOING SO
FAST, T INTIN I I
CAN'T KEEP UP !
\
I' M FQOZEN STIFF f HELLO 1 LUCKY ''LE PETIT XX " TAUGHT
THE12E'S SOME DEAD WOOD. ME HOW TO MAKE FIQE WITHOUT
LET'S Tl2'r' TO A FII2E . MATCHES , JUST LIKE THE
POLYNESIANS!
SEEMS TO ME
THE SNOW SOUNDS
HOLLOW.
.....
HOC2C20125 ! ... HEC2E AM I I TURNED
INTO A~ ICICLE ! ... FROZEN
SOLID!
ANOTHEI2
OF TINTIN ·s
SILLY OLD
JOKES.'
- -
THIS TIME I'M
WELL AND TI2ULY
TI2APPED .1
- - ...,-
--~
--=
- --=:::::.
-
HE PUNCHED 50
HAQD HE KNOCKED
A BIG BQANCH
OFF THE Tl2EE .
'THE COSSACK. HAD SOME LITTLE GOT THE COAT
POUCHES ACQOSS HIS CHEST. THEY RIGHT . NOW, TO
SEEM TO H VANISHED. HORSE!
IS REALLY MUCH
-----
I'D LIKE TO MEET THE CHAP
WHO SAID MAN'S MOST NOBLE
CONQUEST WAS THE H0125E!
.. .
,,
WHAT A PECULIAR HOUSE . . .
AN.D 50 GUIET .
WHAT
THE ...???
I ... I THINK
TH-THAT I .. .
I'M .. .
POSSESSED!
NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, I'VE PE:K'HAPS WE ·cAN FIND
STUMBLED ON A HAUNTE:D HOUSE ... SOMETHING TO EAT.
AND .BEC~SE OF THE: STOK'M I'LL
- \ HAVE TO STAY.'
!. .. WHAT1S THAT ? I'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.'
INTEI<ESTING ...
TIE HIM
5ECUI2ELY,
AND LEAVE
US. I WANI
IOTALK
TO HIM.
HURRY, TINTIN 1
NOT SO MUCH
TALK. SOMEONE
MIGHT COME.
IN THE DARKNESS WE'LL LEAVE THIS CELL
THEY KNOCKED AND EXPLORE THE
EACH OTHEQ OUT. ROBBEQS' DEN.
-
PK'OPAGANDA
I THINK THAT
WE'I2E RUNNING
INTO BIG
Tl20lJBLE!
I'LL PICK UP
HIS CIGAI<.
THAT'LL MAKE
HIM CI205S.
TINTIN WILL
BE FVI210V5
WHEN HE
SEES ME
SMOKING!
NOT A MOMENT TO
LOSE ... WE'QE GOING
TO BLOW UP.'
M GO I"JG TO
SGUISE
MYSELF AS
A PILOT.
TINTIN!
YOV AI<.EN 'T
12EALLY
GOING 1"-l
AN AE120 -
PLANE!
THEY DIDN'T
12ECOGNISE ME .
ALL'S WELL!
HHP r. ..
THE ENG INE HAS BEEN
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING !
THERE YOU
AI2E I SNOWY! ...
YOU AI2EN 'T
HUI2T?
HELP ME ! ... I
SUPPOSE HE THINK5
I CAN'T DO rr BY
MYSELF.
OQ
FOQ THE UMPTEENTH TIME,
5NOWY I YOLJ MU5T TQY TO BE.
OBEDIENT AND NOT DO THE OPPO-
51TE TO WHAT I 5AY !
*
-·
•
•
Tl NTI NI WHEN
WILL YOV STOP
FOOLING AI20UN
DON'T YOU KNOW
IT'S VEI2Y SILLY
TO 00 THAT?
OH! THE PLANE
IS GOING TO
SMASH INTO
THAT FACTORY
CHIMNEY!
PHEW ...
SAVED!
WE AI2E GO ING TO LAND. .. BVT
WHY ALL THE PEOPLE?
IF THEY'I2E
8121NGING MOI2E
'r.wt-...u..-ll CHAMPAGI'VE, I'LL
TEAI2 THEM INTO
LITTLE PIECES (
1'-!t+«"-~l..-.,._,,......
·HERGl·
GET DI2ESSED AND PECI THAT HE'S BACK
WITH US TO THE OF THE OGPU ... WHAT
POLICE STATION ~ t--_....,,.11111':1_,:-;a,•' - A GOOD IDEA TO
DISGUISE OUI2SELVES
AS POLIZEI.
TAKE HIM DOWN ... CHAIN HIM, AND RE·
VIVE HIM QEADY F012 MY itJTEfCr<OGATION.
HELP! IT' S
GOING TO EAT
ME!
~
oo '
~~.
' II /
YOU'I2E GlUITE:: ABSOLUTELY CE12TAIN!
SUI2E THE IT FLED TOWARDS
TIGER HAS OPEN COUNTRY. IT
GONE? SEEMED SCARED OVT
OF I IS WITS !
-J-JOOAH{
WOOA.!-f_,
·-
I FEEL AS IF I
REALLY AM A TIGER !
MY FEQOCITY KNOWS
NO BOUNDS!
HERG
JUST MY LUCK ~ .. . OOOH.'. ..
CHASING ALONG A WOLF-TK~AP ! ...
LIKE THAT I NEVEI2 I' M CAUGHT .. .
PAID ATTENTION
TO WHEI2E I WAS
GOING, AND NOW
I' M LOST.'
"'""'_,__... ""'""'A#J'tz\
_....,.or.,.._.,..._ ·- ~--
0.---=-----
--
~
GI<Q ! ... Gl<l< !... (I BET
THEY'LL BE ABSOLUTELY
TERI21FIED!)
..
ALTHOUGH D~QSTAND!
I DON'T UN
DISGUISED I M ALL ...
THEY DON'TAS A TIGEQ
LEAST &IT SEEM THE
BOTHEQED!
HOW L,UCKY .. . I ' VE FOUND THE GOLLY! I'M ONLY WEARING HALF
HOUSE AGAIN WHEQE TINTIN A TIGEQ·SK.IN ! NOT SUI2PQISING
IS HELD PQISONER f THEY LAUGHED AT ME ... I'LL TAKE
OFF THE !<EST OF THE COSTUME
AND THEN 1 WATCH OUT !
LVC.KY THE
IDIOT FOI2GOT
TOTAKE HIS
KEYS .1
f:9o
HEQE WE AQE IN BERLIN ...
BVT WHY 1'5 EVERYBODY
LOOKING AT VS?
QUICK ... WHILE HIS
BACK IS TUI2NED
LET'S POUQ OUT A
FEW DQOPS OF
THIS SPECIAL
LIQUID...
WHAT WAS HE
POUI<ING OVEIC?
THESE FLOWERS?
WHAT A FUNNY
SMELL!
,,
SNOW Y .... . tl I BUT ... WHAT ' S ...
SNOWY ... Ill HAPPENING TO ME?
SNOWY •. ••• 1••• 1 FEEL. . .
SLEEPY.. .
A IR f ... I NEED All2 ~ ... IF I AT LAST 1 I CAN BREATHE ! ... THAT
DON'T GET TO THE WINDOW SMELL WAS CHLOROFORM ... SOMEONE
I'M DONE FOR ! WANTED TO KNOCK M E OUT. BUT WHO
IS" SOM "?
OH~
I'D COMPLETELY
F012GOTTEN TO BUY
SOME M012E 12USSIAN
CLOTHES!
COME -ON 1 OLD FRIEND...
INTO THE CAR ...
HERGE
IT'S P~OBABLY BETTER NOT TO PUSH OU~ LUCK. WE'LL
GO BACK HOME. I CAN TAKE A WELL- EARt-JED REST
BEF012E SETTING OFF ON OTHEI2 ADVENTURES ...
i L -- -. NAC.l-1 .. se
&IZU •
I WONDEr< IF ANYONE WILL MEET 1400RAY! THERE'S THE BELGIAN
US AT THE STATION ... FQONTI El< ! !
WHOOPEE .'
LOOK, LOUVAIN!
WE'RE NEAI2LY
THEI2E!