TAC - 17 - The Red Sea Sharks

The Red Sea Sharks

My enjoyment of this particular Tintin adventure can be measured by the wear and tear of the physical album itself, which I believe has survived for a good twenty years (all of the books I've been reading this month are from the same old set)-- several pages have come loose and stick out of the book at odd angles. It's been this way for a while. I can remember years of matter-of-factly picking up the pages that fall out whenever I've taken this book off the shelf.

There are a few things keeping it from my 5-star rating/being an absolute favourite of mine, but it is high on my list...though I probably liked it more growing up than I do now that I've re-read most of the series again. One of the best things about Red Sea Sharks is that it's like a bloody cast reunion! There are so many recurring characters, and even if they only show up for a panel or two, it's like meeting up with family you haven't seen for ages. Hugs all around! ...Shucks, even for the villains.

Anyway: Captain Haddock is in top form, the butt of every joke and sight gag, which suits me just fine. I never get enough of watching him do ridiculous things like setting his beard on fire or topple chin-first out of bed. And it's interesting, I don't talk about Tintin himself terribly much (there usually isn't much to say), but by this point in the series, he has developed a bit as a character, displaying a wider range of emotions beyond just the generally affable, do-gooder attitude. Wonder if it's the Captain's influence, since most of the developments involve his capacity to be irritated and his slightly snarky sense of humour. I don't know, maybe I'm just seeing things...

The story is...well, okay, here we start running into my issues. It's an adventure story, true enough, and each section of the book is enjoyable in its own right, but the thread tying the narrative together seems a tad frayed. Perhaps the word I'm looking for is "forced"? Yes, as much as I love the return of so many characters, it does seem forced. And the slavery plot? Hoo. Um. Well, cheers for such a strong anti-slavery message (got to love the Captain shouting insults through the megaphone at the traders), but there's still some discomfort whenever the Africans are drawn/speak. LOADS better than Congo, but still...oh, Hergé.

All right, so, bottom line: this is a fun adventure, possibly the last "real", traditional Tintin adventure in the series, and in spite of a couple of moments that inspire eyebrow-lifting, I really enjoy it. Plus, it has Skut. ...I always liked Skut.


_{Oh, and another thing? That poor shark! But God that's hilarious.}

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The Adventures of Tintin is © HERGE/MOULINSART S.A. estate; I will not be personally profiting from ANY of this art