04 - ‘Cigars of the Pharaoh’ (1934) || Radio Tintin

Michael Farr points highlights the inspiration behind some of Herge’s artwork in ‘Cigars of the Pharaoh’.

Farr, Michael. Tintin: the Complete Companion. Egmont, 2011.

‘Cigars of the Pharaoh, would formally mark they debut of Detectives Thompson and Thompson, though they were initially only identified by codenames.

While Herge would never cite this cover image as an inspiration for the Thompsons, the resemblance is striking.

The 1934 edition has Tintin landing in Mecca (changed to an unnamed generic city in the 1955 edition) and is chased out after being exposed as a Christian, not as a spy.

The 1955 edition omits a scene in which Tintin distracts a nest of cobras with a bar of chocolate. Such gags were not consistent with the tone of the later adventures.

Promotional pamphlet to announce the release of Casterman’s coloured edition of ‘Cigars of the Pharaoh’ in 1955.