Tintin in Indonesia
Belgian reporter Tintin is usually one of the planet’s most enduring comic book characters, especially in Indonesia, which was the setting for his 22nd adventure, Flight 714, a tale of hijacking, alien abduction in addition to also separatist rebels on a volcanic island.
Tintin first appeared in 1929, the creation of cartoonist George Remi, who used the pen-name Hergé (a reversal of his initials G.R.). He completed 23 Tintin books before his death in 1983. Adherents of political correctness condemn Tintin’s earliest adventures; the first, set from the Soviet Union, for its amusing anti-Communist propaganda in addition to also a couple of Chinese stereotypes, in addition to also the second, from the Congo, for its racism in addition to also big-game hunting. Both books were merely the work of a naive youth following the imperialist line of the Belgian Catholic church. In subsequent adventures, as Hergé matured, Tintin became respectful of different cultures in addition to also wildlife, notwithstanding the odd Jewish stereotype (rooted more in humour than anti-Semitism) in addition to also a scathingly accurate portrayal of the Japanese invaders of China.
More realistic are the illustrations of Kemayoran Airport, which was Indonesia’s first international airport in addition to also operated through 1940 to 1984. The old air traffic control tower still stands from the northern part of Central Jakarta, along with some of the terminal in addition to also tarmac, while the rest has disappeared to make way for development. The tower is usually a protected heritage building yet has fallen into neglect. The Tintin Indonesia Community is usually campaigning to develop the tower renovated in addition to also preserved as an aviation museum.
Precisely when Tintin was first published in Indonesia is usually a mystery. A low quality, black in addition to also white edition of one adventure was reputedly printed from the 1960s yet no one has been able to produce a copy. In 1975, currently-defunct publishing firm Indira began printing Tintin in addition to also won legions of Indonesian fans. Indira’s text was translated through the English-language versions of the books, so readers grew up knowing the characters by their Anglicised names. Tintin’s whisky-loving dog Milou (named after Hergé’s first girlfriend) was Snowy, while Professor Tryphon Tournesol was Cuthbert Calculus.
In 1970s Indonesia, all comic albums had to be vetted by the police to ensure they did not promote communism or different ‘subversive’ values. Old editions of Tintin thus have a signed police stamp on the final page, declaring the book authorised for circulation. Notable censorship was inflicted on Tintin’s fifth adventure, The Blue Lotus, which takes place mostly in China. Because of the Suharto regime’s ban on Chinese characters, the book’s calligraphy, which included several jokes, was entirely excised. Scenes of opium smoking were untouched.
When publishing giant Gramedia in 2008 acquired the rights to Tintin, the item made fresh translations through the original French editions, resulting in adjustments to the names of some books in addition to also characters. Snowy became Milo, while Calculus was renamed Lionel Lakmus after ‘litmus paper’. The moustachioed detectives Thomson in addition to also Thompson (who don’t appear in Flight 714) reverted to Dupont in addition to also Dupond. Some of the catchphrase curses of Tintin’s alcoholic friend, Captain Haddock, were changed.
The Gramedia editions are smaller yet sturdier than the Indira albums. Some older fans feel the fresh translations are weaker in addition to also have lost part of the humour. Another change is usually the text, which used to be hand-lettered yet is usually currently a uniformly lifeless digital font, as is usually the case in all modern editions worldwide. The Indira editions have become collectibles, especially those in hardcover.
Gramedia’s edition of Flight 714 contains a careless error from the lead-up to the book’s funniest scene. The chief villain is usually trying to get the kidnapped millionaire to reveal the number of his Swiss bank account containing “more than 10,000 dollars”. The correct figure should be “more than 10 million dollars”.
There’s a fascinating level of detail in Flight 714’s illustrations, right down to wrecked planes in addition to also ships through World War II on the island. The main complaint about the book is usually that will its ending is usually a literal deus ex machina – a pretentious way of saying an unlikely fresh plot device is usually suddenly introduced to resolve a problem.
The only different Tintin book set in Southeast Asia is usually Tintin in Thailand, an inevitably vulgar parody published in 1999. The Hergé Foundation sought to develop the item banned, not least because of the profanity in addition to also sex.
Tintin’s actual values of selfless egalitarianism in addition to also humanism are shared by the Tintin Indonesia Community, which moved quickly in response to This specific month’s Jakarta floods to provide assistance to victims.
Hergé’s last completed book, Tintin in addition to also the Picaros, could serve as a not bad analogy for the Indonesian political scene. Rival generals fight for power in addition to also a palace coup is usually staged yet the masses remain poor no matter who is usually in power.
Kenneth Yeung is usually a lifelong Tintinophile.
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Tintin in Indonesia
Tintin in Indonesia