meme responses

[kindkit]

Here are my answers to the prompts I was given for this meme. I'd be happy to take more prompts if anyone is interested.

miss_morland asked about

Comments

[miss_morland]

For example, he's prone to sudden displays of heroic mercy that result in bad guys (including bad guys who have, for example, kidnapped and enslaved hundreds of people) getting away.

Yes! Like at the end of Picaros, when he 'pardons' Pablo the henchman as if he (Tintin) were the only person who might possibly have a beef with him. Even leaving Haddock and Tournesol out of it, I don't think it's unreasonable to assume there are plenty of other people who were victims of Tapioca and his helpers. So while exiling Tapioca might be a good idea, it doesn't automatically follow that everyone who ever committed crimes in his name should walk free* -- rather, there could have been fair trials and non-capital punishments (in theory. Of course, Alcazar's sense of justice is extremely dubious). It's interesting that Tintin just decides to let Pablo go, just because he saved his life once, and also that nobody really questions this

[halotolerant]

Not a funny drunk
So true. I used to laugh at his drunk panels when I was younger, but that was because I had never seen real, destructive alcoholism at that point and I didn't really get that he would be damaging himself or that he might be drinking for a negative reason. Looking at it now, I can see along with the development of Herge's social conscience that you talk about, his developing seriousness for Haddock in his heroism and his issues. One thing I love about the Tintin series is how it gets better and better as it goes along (more or less - arguably 'Tibet' is the peak but the quality certainly increases with time and I have always loved 'Castiafiore Emerald')

as he tries to figure out whether his feelings for John make him queerI want that story. Not even necessarily just for him - I wish someone would write a novel on this topic generally, about the shades of sexual desire and identity and blurriness and courage and self-discovery. Ideally, though, through the lens of POW camp homoeroticism/homosocialism/homosexual

[kindkit]

Tibet is marvellous, but I also love the loopiness of Castafiore and Flight 714, as well as the social awareness in Picaros. So I find all the late stuff interesting.

I wish someone would write a novel on this topic generally

Doooooo iiiiiiiiiit, dooooooooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

I've managed to acquire Micky Burn's Turned Towards the Sun through interlibrary loan; he doesn't talk a lot about Colditz, but he does mention falling deeply in love with a (straight, tragically) fellow prisoner. Because Burn was kind of fucked up about his sexuality, this experience makes him want to turn straight so as to be more like the man he loves and admires, but at least it gives the lie to all the "we never even thought about it, honestly!" bullshit that's still the party line about POW camps. (In regards to which, it occurred to me recently to wonder why, if no one ever did or thought anything queer, the homophobes went to the trouble of preaching sermons and writing editorials against homosexuality. Not to mention getting couples split up and