The Calculus Affair by Hergé.
Title: Land of Black Gold.
Author: Hergé.
Genre: Fiction, graphic novel, humour, adventure, mystery.
Country: Belgium.
Language: French.
Publication Date: 1954-1956.
Summary: When all glass begins to spontaneously shatter at Marlinspike Hall but seizes after Professor Calculus flies off to Geneva, Tintin and Captain Haddock discover a sonic device in his laboratory. After a very mysterious stranger attacks them there, they fly after the Professor, convinced he's in mortal danger because of something he has discovered. From there on, they get caught up in the tensions of the Cold War and an intrigue between two countries racing to get their hands on the Professor's inventions to use in creating weapons of mass destruction.
My rating: 8/10.
My preview: Quite enjoyed this installment - it read just like a thrilling espionage story of that time which, being a huge fan of James Bond, really appealed to me. You have Tintin piloting helicopters, pummeling across borders in tanks, running from several types of authorities and, as usual, neck-deep in political intrigue. The tensions of the Cold War are very apparent all the way through the book, which is interesting for anyone who is a fan of history and sociology - the nuclear threat and paranoia thereof plays a large part in the plot, as well as a race for weapons of mass destruction. I've clearly been reading Tintin completely out of order, so whilst I've already met the horribly annoying but amusing Jolyon Wagg, I realize that you meet him in this volume for the first time, and he does become an endearing regular in the latter books (as well as Cutts the Butcher and Colonel Sponsz, also regulars first introduced here). The rest of the cast were up to their standards, as well - the ever-grumpy Captain Haddock, the ever-useless Thomson and Thomson, the excessively oblivious Professor Calculus, and, once again, the ever-fabulous and hilarious Bianca Castafiore. A fun volume!