Thomson and Thompson Detectives

Between the major Tintin albums Red Rackham’s Treasure and The Seven Crystal Balls, Hergé’s work took an unusual detour during the wartime period in Belgium. In the pages of Le Soir, a serialized story appeared under the title Thomson and Thompson Detectives, offering a very different kind of Tintin-related adventure.

Unlike the standard album format, this story was produced in a hybrid style: each week featured a single drawing by Hergé, accompanied by narrative text written by another author. This created a distinctive rhythm, more akin to illustrated fiction than a conventional comic strip.

The story opens in a surprisingly grounded setting, with the Thomson & Thompson detectives assisting a farmer and becoming involved in the everyday work of churning wheat on a rural farm. From this humble beginning, however, the narrative gradually develops into something far more complex.

As the plot unfolds, the twins find themselves drawn into a murder investigation, giving the story a noticeably darker tone than many typical Tintin-related works. Despite this, Hergé’s signature humor remains present throughout, largely carried by the Thompsons’ misunderstandings and misadventures.

The result is a fascinating blend of comedy, mystery, and wartime serialization constraints. It stands out not only for its unusual format, but also for the way it bridges lighthearted rural scenes with a more serious investigative storyline.

Though it is not part of the official Tintin albums, Thomson and Thompson Detectives remains an intriguing example of how Hergé’s universe expanded into experimental formats during a turbulent period in history.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THOMSON AND THOMPSON DETECTIVES IN ENGLISH

Ramo Nash's Tintin and Alph-Art

Among the unfinished works left behind by Hergé, Tintin and Alph-Art remains the most discussed and widely reimagined. After Hergé’s death, several artists attempted to complete the story in different forms, the most well-known being the color reconstruction by Yves Rodier.

However, far less attention has been given to another interpretation often referred to as the Ramo Nash version. This version remains anonymous in origin and is presented as a full 62-page treatment, and is very faithful in style and true to the spirit of Tintin. It is entirely in black and white and follows the narrative directly from Hergé’s surviving sketches.

I have chosen not to reproduce the earlier pages that closely mirror Hergé’s original notes or overlap with material already expanded in Rodier’s version. Instead, the focus here is on the continuation—the material that picks up where Hergé’s own work ends and attempts to carry the story forward.

While the authenticity and origins of the Ramo Nash version remain uncertain, it stands as another example of the fascination surrounding Hergé’s final unfinished adventure. Each reconstruction, whether official or unofficial, reflects a different interpretation of how Tintin’s last case might have concluded.

What follows is a translated excerpt of the continuation beyond Hergé’s original pages. Enjoy exploring this rare and lesser-known interpretation of Tintin’s final journey.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD RAMO NASH'S TINTIN AND ALPH-ART IN ENGLISH

Other Short Tintin Stories or Excerpts by Other Artists

Over the years, Tintin has inspired not only Hergé’s original adventures but also a wide range of derivative works, tributes, advertising pieces, and reinterpretations created by other artists. While these are not part of the official canon, they form a fascinating parallel history of how the characters have been reimagined across different contexts.

One such example is The Celebrity’s Bodyguards, a reinterpretation that explores an alternate setup for Tintin’s early days. In this version, the Thomson & Thompson detectives are assigned to protect Tintin from the very beginning of his career. The comedic tension comes from the fact that, despite their constant presence, they are always a step behind whatever danger or mystery unfolds.

Another unusual piece is The Water Wizards, a story centered on Professor Calculus experimenting with an invention that supposedly turns oil into water. Like many experimental or promotional comics of its time, it blends scientific fantasy with humor, using familiar characters in a more loosely structured narrative.

There is also a short advertising-style comic, Tintin in the Land of the GS, produced as part of a promotional campaign for automobiles. In this piece, Tintin is placed into a commercial setting, demonstrating how widely the character was used beyond traditional storytelling.

More intriguing is a tribute work titled When Rastapopoulos Meets Alix and Enak, published after Hergé’s death as part of a commemorative effort by artists associated with the Franco-Belgian comics tradition. In this crossover-style story, Rastapopoulos encounters Alix and Enak shortly after the events of Flight 714 to Sydney, blending different comic universes in a symbolic, celebratory manner. It reflects both homage and imaginative expansion by the creators involved.

Finally, there is a rare contribution from Bob de Moor included in a special anniversary comic celebrating Tintin Magazine. The collection—titled The Mysterious and Incredible Adventures of the Space Agent—features multiple artists contributing short segments. Among them are two pages by Bob de Moor, one featuring Quick & Flupke and another featuring Tintin himself, serving as a nostalgic callback to the magazine’s long publishing history.

Taken together, these miscellaneous works show just how far Tintin’s influence extended beyond Hergé’s original albums. Whether through advertising, tributes, experimental stories, or collaborative commemorations, each piece offers a different lens on the enduring legacy of one of comics’ most iconic characters.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE CELEBRITY'S BODYGUARDS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE WATER WIZARDS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN IN THE LAND OF THE GS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD RASTAPOPOULOS MEETS ALIX AND ENAK IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE MYSTERIOUS & INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF THE SPACE AGENT IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE 4 ACES AND THE SACRED COW IN ENGLISH

Mr. Boullock's Disappearance

Among the two wartime Tintin stage plays produced with Hergé’s involvement, the second—and perhaps more intriguing—is Mr. Boullock’s Disappearance.

This play presents a surprisingly original storyline. It places the Thomson & Thompson detectives at the center of the action, alongside another pair of twins, in a narrative that carries a distinct “around the world” atmosphere reminiscent of Around the World in 80 Days. The tone is more theatrical and episodic than the other play, with the plot unfolding through a series of lively set-pieces.

Although Hergé was not the sole author of the script, his involvement helped ensure that the characters retained their familiar personalities and visual humor. The result is a curious blend of stage comedy and Tintin-style adventure, offering a different way to experience the world of the series during the wartime period when regular publication had been disrupted.

Having located and translated the script after years of searching, I’m sharing it here so that readers can finally explore this unusual and rarely seen corner of Tintin history.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MR. BOULLOCK'S DISAPPEARANCE IN ENGLISH 

Tintin in India: The Mystery of the Blue Diamond

When Le Petit Vingtième ceased publication during World War II, Tintin did not disappear entirely. During this period, two stage plays featuring Tintin were produced with Hergé's involvement, offering audiences a chance to experience his famous characters in an entirely different medium.

Although Hergé did not write the plays himself, he collaborated on the productions while the scripts were primarily written by another author. The result was a pair of entertaining adventures that captured much of the humor, excitement, and spirit of Tintin, even if they are largely forgotten today.

Sadly, no recordings or films of these performances are known to exist. For decades, the plays have remained little more than a footnote in Tintin history, known to only a handful of dedicated researchers and collectors.

After years of searching, however, I was fortunate enough to track down the original scripts. I've translated them into English so that Tintin fans who have never had the opportunity to read them can finally experience these rare pieces of Hergé history.

While they may not be official Tintin albums, these plays offer a fascinating glimpse into an overlooked chapter of the series during one of the most difficult periods of Hergé's career. I hope you enjoy discovering these long-forgotten adventures as much as I enjoyed bringing them to light.

The first one is Tintin in India!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN IN INDIA IN ENGLISH 

Miscellaneous Herge Items

Not every piece of Hergé's work fits neatly into one of his famous series. Throughout his career, he produced a wide variety of one-off comics, advertisements, games, and experimental projects that are often overlooked but provide fascinating insights into his creativity and versatility.

Among these is a fun game published in Tintin magazine, introduced by a short comic featuring Professor Calculus and the Thomson & Thompson detectives.

Hergé also created Colour Your Colours, a coloring page produced to advertise a popular Belgian chicory-root drink, blending his distinctive artwork with commercial illustration.

Another curious creation is Magneshal, a whimsical advertising character who first appeared in a series of single-panel illustrations without dialogue, performing absurd visual gags. Hergé later expanded the character into a one-page comic strip, giving readers a little more of this unusual figure's humorous world.

Perhaps the most intriguing items in this collection are the three opening pages created under the pseudonym Olav by Hergé and his friend, Edgar P. Jacobs. These were drawn in the uncertain years immediately following the end of World War II, when Hergé had been blacklisted and feared he might never be permitted to publish under his own name again. Together, the two artists began three completely different stories, producing only the first page of each before the projects were abandoned. Although none of these works developed into full-fledged adventures, they remain fascinating glimpses into Hergé's lesser-known output.

Whether created for advertising, entertainment, or during one of the most uncertain periods of his career, each offers a unique window into the imagination and artistic evolution of one of the twentieth century's greatest cartoonists. Here, I've translated these rare pieces into English so that more readers can enjoy this overlooked corner of Hergé's work.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CALCULUS GAME IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD COLOR YOUR COLORS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MAGNESHAL IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OLAV PAGES IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FSC CALENDARS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD RANDOM 1-PAGE THINGS IN ENGLISH  

Deleted Frames from Jo, Zette, & Jocko in Cœurs Vaillants

When readers think of deleted material from Hergé's work, the focus almost always falls on the Tintin adventures. Yet another of Hergé's major series, Jo, Zette, & Jocko, also underwent revisions between its original newspaper serialization and its album publication.

Originally published in the French Catholic magazine Cœurs Vaillants, the adventures of Jo, Zette, and their mischievous chimpanzee Jocko were often edited before being collected into book form. Individual panels—and occasionally entire pages—were removed, altered, or rearranged to improve the pacing or fit the album format.

These deleted scenes rarely receive the same attention as their Tintin counterparts, but they are every bit as fascinating. They offer a unique glimpse into Hergé's creative process and allow us to see how he refined his storytelling before the adventures reached their final published form.

I've collected these deleted frames from the original Cœurs Vaillants publications and translated them into English. Whether they contain extra dialogue, humorous moments, or scenes that were ultimately left behind, they provide another opportunity to explore Hergé's work as it first appeared to readers and to appreciate the evolution of one of his lesser-known, but equally enjoyable, series.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD DELETED SCENES FROM THE SECRET RAY IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD DELETED SCENES FROM THE STRATOSHIP H.22 IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD DELETED SCENES FROM THE VALLEY OF THE COBRAS IN ENGLISH