Tintin: The Black Island - Herge

Summary: Investigating a mysterious plane crash, Tintin discovers he's onto something big! The case leads Tintin to Scotland, where he learns of a monster that stalks a lonely island. (image and summary from goodreads.com)

My Review: The Tintin books are so much fun, and you don't even have to read them in any particular order.  I'm a fan of most of the albums, but I really like this one, as it is just full of so many funny twists and turns and adventures.

For anyone unfamiliar with Tintin, he is technically a reporter, though aside from his very first adventure he never actually does any reporting.  He's more of a sleuth and adventurer, traveling to different countries to solve a crime or a mystery along with his faithful dog, Snowy.

This particular tale involves counterfeiting and some villainous types that Tintin is more than familiar with.  His detective skills take him to Scotland this go round, where he gets to don a kilt and head to a mysterious island.

One of my favorite things about Tintin is the humor--there are a lot of funny goings on in what could otherwise be scary situations.  Someone that helps out with keeping this light is Snowy.  Tintin's little fox terrier speaks throughout the comics (though his contributions are lessened when a new character, Captain Haddock, comes on the scene in later albums).  It's never really known if anyone else can hear Snowy's words, but he provides a good comic relief.

It's also fun to see Tintin's relentless spirit, nothing can get him down, no, not even if he's been shot!  Seriously, you would be amazed the number of times this kid ends up in hospital only to check himself out later that day.  He is a serious go-getter, always determined to stop the bad guy and deliver justice to any who have been wronged.  He's not always that clever, however, and Snowy often has to help him get out of trouble.

The art is always impeccable, Herge always does a grand job of illustrating these global ventures, and the detail is grand for the scope of what is being illustrated.

Any fan of a good mystery, a good adventure, and some good humor will enjoy Tintin.

My Rating: Four Stars

For the sensitive reader: Tintin gets into a lot of predicaments, like being shot, but they're dealt with lightly and he always comes out on top.  Snowy is also a bit of a lush, and gets well drunk in this book.