Tintin's Citroën

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Studios Hergé were created by Hergé in 1950 to assist him with the production of The Adventures of Tintin. They permitted him to focus on the creation of new stories by handing over some aspects of the artwork, particularly the colouring, which Hergé had never really mastered and which in the 1940s was done by Edgar Pierre Jacobs, and the drawing of decors. Technical elements required much documentation and a specific drawing technique, making such assistance worthwhile. The Studios were created when Hergé worked on Destination Moon, an adventure permeated by technology. The influence of some studio members on the stories is also present. For example, Jacques Martin claims to have introduced a number of burlesque gags that don't correspond to Hergé's style of humour.

In Their Own Story

An anecdote well known among tintinophiles is indicative of the atmosphere in the Studios in those years. When Hergé was on a holiday in December 1965, the two main collaborators, Bob de Moor and Jacques Martin, created a fake Tintin page, completely in the style of the master, which they sent to the Swiss weekly magazine L'Illustré. It was published there as an installment of the next Tintin adventure. Jacques Martin: 'I first invented a short story, and then composed the page and placed the characters. Next, Bob de Moor completed the backgrounds, which I had sketched, and we both inked the page: he did the backgrounds, I did the characters.' Apparently, Hergé didn't react immediately upon discovering this, but probably preferred let matters stand as they were with this joke, which, according to some, was a true indication of the state of mind of the collaborators who wanted to be more involved in the creation of the adventures of Tintin. The gag page depicts an airport scene comparable to some sequences in Destination Moon and The Calculus Affair, actually closely resembles a page by Hergé, with only some tintinophiles able to spot some typical style elements of De Moor and Martin. The page can be seen at Tintin est Vivant !.

Reader's Guide

After the death of Hergé in 1983, his widow Fanny Remi, who started working with the studios as a colorist in 1956, inherited the rights to the works of the author, but not the rights to the derived works, which belonged to Hergé's friend Alain Baran of the company Tintin Licensing, who later sold the rights to the television channel Canal+. Fanny followed the wishes of Hergé, who didn't want The Adventures of Tintin to be continued after his death. Some doubt exists about Tintin and Alph-Art, however, left unfinished by Hergé at his death and at first handed over to the Studios to be finished by De Moor. Fanny Remi then changed her mind and decided to publish just the sketches by Hergé, to the disappointment of De Moor. There is also some hesitation about Quick & Flupke. Less popular than Tintin, Hergé had not left any clear instructions about a continuation of the series. Perhaps more to keep the Studios running than for a truly artistic reason, Fanny accepted the proposal of Johan De Moor, son of Bob and recent arrival in the Studios, to restart the series. He created an album of new strips while the Studios updated a number of old strips never before published in colour. Three albums appeared in 1985, the only ones to officially credit the Studios Hergé on the cover and inside. Fanny then announced that the series would end there and that the Studios would be closed. The activities of the Studios ceased soon thereafter, but not before finishing some projects of derived products and publicity work. In 1986, the Studios Hergé were replaced by the Hergé Foundation, solely occupied with the rights of the series. In 1988, the giant fresco in Stokkel/Stockel metro station was inaugurated, based on sketches by Hergé, which were finished by the Studios.

Did You Know?

• The Studios Hergé were created in 1950 and had between 12 and 50 employees over the years.
• Every creation produced by the studios was attributed to Hergé alone, except for three albums of Quick & Flupke which are attributed to Studios Hergé on the cover.
• In December 1965, Bob de Moor and Jacques Martin created a fake Tintin page and sent it to the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, where it was published as a hoax, presented as a supposed lost page.
• After Hergé's death, his widow Fanny Rodwell (née Vlamynck) inherited all rights to his works, including derived works. Alain Baran was a manager of Tintin Licensing, not the owner of derived rights.
• The giant fresco in Stokkel/Stockel metro station was inaugurated in 1988, based on sketches by Hergé and finished by the Studios.

Foundational Purpose and Technical Necessity

Established in 1950, the Studios Hergé were created to alleviate the immense workload of Belgian cartoonist Hergé during the production of The Adventures of Tintin. This collective allowed the master artist to concentrate on narrative creation while delegating labor-intensive tasks that required specialized skills or extensive documentation. Notably, technical drawing and background decoration were handed over to assistants, a necessity highlighted by the complex technological themes in Destination Moon. Furthermore, colorization, an area where Hergé lacked mastery, was managed by dedicated staff, replacing earlier efforts by Edgar Pierre Jacobs. The studio's roster fluctuated between twelve and fifty employees, including prestigious talents like Jacques Martin, Bob de Moor, and Roger Leloup. Despite this collaborative environment, nearly all output was officially attributed solely to Hergé, ensuring the brand remained singularly associated with its creator while leveraging a robust team of skilled artisans behind the scenes.

Collaborative Influence and The Gag Page Incident

While Hergé maintained final creative control, studio members significantly influenced the series' tone and content. Jacques Martin notably introduced burlesque gags that diverged from Hergé's usual humor style, enriching the narrative texture of albums like The Calculus Affair. This collaborative spirit was famously tested in December 1965 when Bob de Moor and Jacques Martin created a convincing fake Tintin page while Hergé was on holiday. They submitted this artwork to L'Illustré magazine as a genuine installment, fooling many readers with its stylistic accuracy. The page depicted an airport scene reminiscent of Destination Moon, blending De Moor's background expertise with Martin's character work. Although Hergé eventually discovered the prank, he reportedly chose not to react strongly, perhaps acknowledging the collaborators' desire for deeper creative involvement. This anecdote remains a testament to the high skill level within the studio and the close-knit atmosphere that allowed such elaborate jokes to flourish.

The Final Years and Posthumous Decisions

Following Hergé's death in 1983, his widow Fanny Rodwell inherited the rights to his works and oversaw the studio's final chapter. Adhering strictly to her late husband's wish that no new Tintin adventures be created after his passing, she halted efforts by Bob de Moor to complete the unfinished Tintin and Alph-Art, opting instead to publish only Hergé's original sketches. However, a unique exception occurred with Quick & Flupke; lacking clear instructions from Hergé regarding this lesser-known series, Rodwell allowed Johan De Moor to produce three new albums in 1985. These became the only works officially credited to Studios Hergé on their covers. After finishing these projects and some derived product work, the studio ceased operations in 1986, transitioning into the Hergé Foundation to manage rights exclusively. The final artistic contribution included completing a giant fresco for the Stokkel metro station based on Hergé's sketches.

Key Personnel and Artistic Specializations

The Studios Hergé relied on a diverse team of artists who brought specific expertise to the franchise. Bob de Moor, joining in April 1950 as the first assistant, was renowned for his flawless imitation of Hergé's style and supervised total album production alongside the creator. Roger Leloup, active from 1953, specialized in mechanical elements like automobiles and designed futuristic vehicles such as Laszlo Carreidas' jet. Colorists played a vital role, with Josette Baujot serving as the main colorist; her volatile personality was even caricatured as Josette Laijot within Tintin and Alph-Art. Other notable figures included Michel Demarets and Jo-El Azara, who contributed during various periods of production. The team expanded to include newer members like Pierre Gay, hired shortly after Hergé's death as the last cartoonist employed by the studio. This collective talent pool ensured the visual consistency and technical precision that defined the series throughout its decades-long run.

Gallery