Tintin Forums

They are the unimportant people -- play a small role in the plot of one book, and then are gone from Tintin forever. But they are these people who really make the Tintin books come alive. What minor characters do you like in Tintin?

For my part (this only struck me about the 10th time through the book) I was really impressed with Herge's depiction of Colombani, the co-pilot in Flight 714. The way his face is always drawn up in a scowl, the heartlessness he has towards everybody, and the way Snowy looks when thinking about him really give you a picture of what that guy is like. You hate him, but you know him -- I know exactly what his voice sounds like. His character is much clearer than, say, his counterpart Hans Boehm, or even Spalding, though Spalding is more essential to the plot.



Mark Falconer (eh) is also a guy I like. I feel you get to know him more than any other of the seven (save Tarragon and perhaps accidentally Cantonneau). He is a shrewd and crafty man, who has gotten through a lot in South America and knows very well how to take care of himself -- but is just as utterly helpless in the end against the powers of the Inca.

The dynamic duo (the Bordurian escorts) of Tintin and Haddock from "The Calculus Affair". The way they get drunk is simply hilarious...

Also the little boy who hides the stone under the hat in "Seven Crystal Balls". Doesn't anybody think he closely resembles Jo in "Jo Zette and Jocko" series?

I've noted how the minor characters often appear only to be drawn from a single perspective. They're much less visually fleshed out than the main characters.

I love Zorrino. He's like a South American Chang. He's capable, loyal, and fairly adorable.

Donaya Haymond
I love Zorrino. He's like a South American Chang. He's capable, loyal, and fairly adorable.

Zorrino - I don't think he's minor in any way. True, he appears only in "The Prisoners of the Sun", but he's instrumental in the plot moving forward.

The Dr. and the writer from Cigars of the Pharaon. There was so much posibility in having more adventures with them!

Also the little boy who hides the stone under the hat in "Seven Crystal Balls". Doesn't anybody think he closely resembles Jo in "Jo Zette and Jocko" series? Yes, I think he does. But isn't he really either Quicke or Flupke? I can't remember which one is which, but I know he's one of the two.
As for me my favorite minor character would probably have to be Pablo. I can't say I actually like what he does, but he is quite interesting.
-Gabe

"Take no notice! They shoot like a bunch of drunks!"

I'd actually consider Pable to be a recurring character because of his appearances in more than one story ("The Broken Ear", "Tintin and the Picaros").

As for a minor character, Prof. Phostle would be worth considering as a character particularly passionate in his interests, especially as he's more forceful about it than other academics portrayed in the story.

I know he is not a very unimportant character, but I like carriedas. He is crafty and irritable and completely dishonest. if the circumstances were different, I think that Tintin would probably be building up a fraud or industrial espionage case against him. I also like the consul for Poldavia in "the Blue Lotus". I imagine him as a man with a very high and fast voice: "NoI'mnotTintinI'mtheconsulforPoldavia!You'llhearmore ofthisvillain!