Quick & Flupke, Album #15: To Do or Not to Do

With the release of Business and Pleasure, I promised there would be one more volume to complete my unofficial English collection of Quick & Flupke stories. Well, here it is—the final album, which I've titled To Do or Not To Do.

This volume is a little different from the previous two. Rather than focusing solely on standard comic strips, it gathers a variety of miscellaneous Quick & Flupke material that Hergé created over the years. Some pieces consist mainly of dialogue accompanied by only a few illustrations, while others are Le Petit Vingtième cover images expanded with captions. There are also several other unusual items that don't fit neatly into any of the traditional collections.

Because of that, this album offers a fascinating glimpse into the more experimental and obscure corners of Hergé's work. Some pieces are genuinely funny, others are historically interesting, and a few... well, you can definitely understand why they were never included in the official albums!

Nevertheless, every one of these works helps paint a more complete picture of Hergé's early career and the enduring popularity of his mischievous young heroes. My goal with this collection has been to preserve and translate as much of this overlooked material as possible for English-speaking readers.

With this volume, the project is finally complete. I hope you've enjoyed discovering these rare Quick & Flupke stories as much as I've enjoyed tracking them down, translating them, and sharing them with fellow Hergé fans. Enjoy!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD QUICK & FLUPKE: TO DO OR NOT TO DO IN ENGLISH 

 

Quick & Flupke, Album #14: Business and Pleasure

Some time ago, I shared what has become the most popular post on this site: my English translations of a number of Quick & Flupke official albums; as well as some previously unavailable Quick & Flupke stories, which I collected into an unofficial thirteenth album titled What Audacity! By gathering stories that had never appeared in the official album series, I hoped to give English-speaking readers the chance to enjoy more of Hergé's delightful neighborhood troublemakers.

But that wasn't the end of the collection.

There were still many more Quick & Flupke stories that didn't make it into What Audacity!, either because I hadn't yet translated them or because there simply wasn't enough room. Over the past years, I've continued tracking them down and translating them.

I'm pleased to present the first of two additional unofficial albums: Business and Pleasure. Like the previous volume, it brings together a variety of classic Quick & Flupke adventures that have never been officially published in album-form in either French or English. As always, the stories are full of clever pranks, misunderstandings, and the timeless humor that made Hergé's mischievous duo such enduring favorites.

I hope this collection gives English-speaking fans the opportunity to discover even more of these charming and often overlooked stories. And don't worry—there's still one more unofficial volume to come!

Enjoy!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD QUICK & FLUPKE: BUSINESS AND PLEASURE IN ENGLISH 

Tintin and the Thermozero

Among the many lesser-known Tintin-related projects and fragments, Tintin and the Thermozero stands out as a particularly intriguing case of an unfinished collaboration.

The project began with a story suggestion from another contributor. Hergé himself then produced a small number of preliminary sketches, exploring the visual direction and early structure of the adventure. Alongside these drawings, a full story outline was also developed, although the exact division of creative responsibility between Hergé and the original proposer is unclear to me.

For a long time, this material remained difficult to access. The full outline, along with additional sketches, is not widely known.

In preparing this post, I have translated the surviving outline and related material into English.

Even in its incomplete form, Thermozero shows promise as a concept. The combination of early Hergé sketches and structured story planning makes it possible to imagine how it could have evolved into a fully realized adventure, fitting alongside the more experimental corners of the Tintin universe.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN AND THE THERMOZERO IN ENGLISH

Tintin and the Blue Oranges

Among the many adaptations and reinterpretations of Tintin, one of the more unusual artifacts is the script for the French live-action production Tintin and the Blue Oranges, the second live-action Tintin film.

What I’ve done here is a translated version of the script, rendered into English so that readers can follow the story as it was originally structured. Reading the script in this way provides a unique perspective on how Tintin was interpreted for live-action cinema at the time. The humor, mystery elements, and character dynamics are all present, but filtered through the conventions of screenplay writing rather than Hergé’s comic panel storytelling.

Although it is not a substitute for watching the film itself, this script allows us to experience the story for those of you who may never watch the film.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN AND THE BLUE ORANGES SCRIPT IN ENGLISH

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  

The Adventures of Tom & Millie

Following The Adventures of Tim the Squirrel, Hergé took another step toward what would eventually become Popol Out West. That intermediary work is The Adventures of Tom & Millie, a remarkably rare publication that is both familiar and surprisingly different.

Although it retains the same principal characters from Tim the Squirrel, Hergé reworked the story in several important ways. Most notably, he abandoned the illustrated-text format of Totor and Tim the Squirrel in favor of a true comic-strip format, complete with panels and speech balloons.

The setting also underwent a dramatic transformation. Instead of taking place in the American West, the story unfolds in the Sahara Desert. The rabbit natives are replaced with monkeys, and numerous plot elements were rewritten, resulting in a story that feels far more than just an early draft. In many respects, The Adventures of Tom & Millie stands as a unique adventure in its own right.

The publication actually consists of two separate stories. The first is the two-page Where There's a Will, a humorous tale that Hergé would later adapt into the Quick & Flupke gag The Toothpick. This is followed by the main 18-page adventure, In Search of the Sun, which contains the core narrative that would eventually evolve into Popol Out West.

Unfortunately, this work is extraordinarily rare. After years of searching, I have managed to locate and translate most of the story, but five pages still remain missing. Using descriptions found in books and archival references, I have been able to reconstruct and summarize the missing portions to help bridge the gaps, but I have yet to find the actual pages themselves.

If you happen to own, or have access to, a complete copy of The Adventures of Tom & Millie, I would be very grateful if you would contact me at tintinfan36@gmail.com. Any information that could help complete this remarkable chapter of Hergé's early career would be greatly appreciated.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE ADVENTURES OF TOM & MILLIE IN ENGLISH 

Tim the Squirrel

 

Before Popol Out West, it existed in a very different form. Titled The Adventures of Tim the Squirrel, this early version tells essentially the same story, featuring the same main characters and the foundations of the familiar plot, but in a much earlier storytelling style.

Rather than using the panel-by-panel comic format that Hergé would later perfect, Tim the Squirrel follows the format of his earlier Totor stories. Each page consists of a series of illustrations accompanied by descriptive text beneath the drawings, allowing the narrative to unfold through a combination of artwork and prose rather than speech balloons.

Even in this early presentation, Hergé's gift for expressive characters, engaging adventures, and visual storytelling is unmistakable. The story offers a fascinating glimpse into his artistic evolution, bridging the gap between his earliest illustrated narratives and the polished comic albums that would later bring him international acclaim.

For Hergé enthusiasts, The Adventures of Tim the Squirrel is much more than an early draft of Popol Out West. It is a valuable piece of comics history that reveals how one of the medium's greatest storytellers refined his craft and experimented with new ways of bringing his characters to life.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TIM THE SQUIRREL IN ENGLISH

Le Sifflet Comic Strips

 

Long before Tintin made his debut, Hergé was already developing his artistic style through a variety of newspaper illustrations and comics. Among these early works are seven short comics published in the Belgian newspaper Le Sifflet.

Though these stories predate Tintin, they are filled with the humor, expressive artwork, and lively storytelling that would later become Hergé's trademark. Each comic introduces a cast of memorable and often eccentric characters, giving readers a glimpse into the imagination of a young artist whose talent was already beginning to shine.

These short comics also provide a fascinating look at Hergé's artistic development. His character designs, sense of movement, visual gags, and storytelling techniques reveal many of the qualities that would eventually mature into the famous ligne claire style recognized around the world.

While they are not as well known as Tintin or even Hergé's other early series, these seven comics are an important part of his creative journey. They offer fans a rare opportunity to see the foundations of one of the twentieth century's greatest comic artists and to discover a collection of entertaining stories that deserve to be remembered.

Enjoy each of these seven forgotten gems from Le Sifflet and the unique characters that inhabit their pages!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YEAR'S END FEAST! IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE GOOD LITTLE CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MR. SCHINLER'S DOG IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD SCHINLER AT THE DENTIST IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MR. VANDERVELDE ON THE TIGHTROPE IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE ELECTORAL BODY AND THE MARIANNE SOCIALIST IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MR. SCHINLER'S JOKE IN ENGLISH     

In Between Tintin Adventures

 

Most Tintin fans are familiar with Hergé's adventures that appeared week after week in Le Petit Vingtième. But what happened in between those installments?

To help fill the gaps between the serialized Tintin stories, Hergé created what turns out to be, in total, a small collection of seven illustrated dialogue pieces. Rather than traditional comic strips with sequential panels, these feature Hergé's unmistakable artwork accompanied by text-based conversations, often between Tintin and Snowy, though occasionally including other familiar characters.

These short works offered readers an enjoyable way to spend another week with Tintin while awaiting the next chapter of his latest adventures. Filled with humor, wit, and the charm that made the series so beloved, they provide an interesting glimpse into Hergé's creativity outside the standard adventure format.

Although they are little known today and have rarely been reprinted, these seven pieces are fascinating historical artifacts from the early days of Tintin. They remind us that the world of Tintin extended beyond the adventures themselves, creating an ongoing connection with readers through the pages of Le Petit Vingtième.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN AND SNOWY ARE BORED! IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD BY SPECIAL WIRELESS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD GANGSTERS BOOTLEGGERS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN'S MAIL IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TINTIN DEPARTS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD TRAVEL PLANS IN ENGLISH

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD HELLO... HELLO... THIS IS TINTIN... IN ENGLISH      

Quick & Flupke

Well, hello! This is the first batch of English translations that I am uploading.  And yes, I did translate everything I post on this blog myself. Font, etc. is mine as well.  Only the drawings are not; which of course they were all drawn by Hergé (Georges Remi).

Okay, well, the purpose of this blog is that I am going to be uploading English translations of Hergé-related-comics that are not currently available in any form in English.  I think these will be a great treat to Hergé fans, and I hope that you'll enjoy these.

First off the bat, I have here English translations of some Quick & Flupke books. This series was written by Hergé between the years 1930-1940, and are mostly 2-page gags. Hergé drew over 300 of these gags, and not all of them have been published in book form.  During the "Le Petit Vingtieme" years there were roughly 5 volumes put out in black and white; and then in the 1950-60s a 11 volume series was published called "The Exploits of Quick & Flupke" each book contained 16 gags. And then in the 1990s Casterman put out a 12-volume series of Quick & Flupke, each book containing 23 gags, with 11 of the volumes by Hergé and one volume with gags by Johan de Moor.  Well, it's three of those eleven volumes that I present translated here today (Excuse Me Ma'am, Catastrophe & Pranks and Jokes), and the file that you see labeled "13" is not an actual published volume. It's simply a collection I put together of Quick & Flupke gags by Hergé that never appeared in any of the 11 volumes.  So anyway, I hope you enjoy!


Volume 7 - Excuse Me Ma'am - Click to Download!

Volume 9 - Catastrophe - Click to DOWNLOAD!

Volume 10 - Pranks and Jokes - CLICK TO DOWNLOAD!

Volume 13 - What Audacity! - CLICK TO DOWNLOAD! 

 

 

Also, if you are interested in audio dramas, I have produced several audio dramas of many of the Quick & Flupke stories. You can listen to them at the links below. Thanks!

Quick & Flupke #1: Two of a Kind Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #2: Bluffmasters Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #3: Double Trouble Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #4: Forbidden Games Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #5: Pranks and Jokes Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #6: Catastrophe Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #7: All or Nothing Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #8: Haute Couture Audio Drama 

Quick & Flupke #9: Honesty Audio Drama

Quick & Flupke #10: Quick Learns Boxing Audio Drama  

Quick & Flupke #11: What Weather! Audio Drama   

Quick & Flupke #12: Natural Disaster Audio Drama