Tin Tin is the creation of that great European cartoonist Herge. Shanghai was honoured to be visited by Tin Tin, and his trusty companion Snowy in the early 1930s in the Adventure of the Blue Lotus, although it appears Herge himself never came to the city.It would be nice to to put up the entire Blue Lotus adventure here, but copyright conditions make it impossible. We shall make do with several frames to illustrate Tin Tin's adventures in Shanghai. The full comic is well worth reading, if you can find it.
Most noteworthy, apart from the splendid graphics and the accurate use of Chinese characters, is the highly topical nature of the story, set in 1931, which showed the Japanese lying, bullying and cheating their way towards a full-blown attempt to subjugate China. The Chinese govermnment was so delighted with the story that in 1939, Herge received an invitation to visit China from Madame Chiang
Kai-shek, the president's wife. With war engulfing China and then Europe, Herge was never able to make the trip.
Tin Tin arrives in Shanghai
Tin Tin in the street
Tin Tin the Blue Lotus
Tin Tin & the SHANGHAI NEWS