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Tintin in the Congo
Graphic novels | Two newspapers look at efforts by the Brooklyn Public Library to restrict access to Herge’s 1931 volume Tintin in the Congo because of complaints about its offensive portrayal of Africans. Although the headline in the Daily News says the book is “banned,” it was actually removed from the public area in 2007; patrons can view it by appointment.
According to The New York Times, Tintin in the Congo is the only challenged book that New York City libraries have removed from shelves. The Borders retail chain moved the work from the children’s sections of its U.S. and U.K. stores in 2007. [The New York Times, Daily News]
Comic strips | Brad Guigar takes a closer look at the newly announced “Comic Strip Superstar” contest sponsored by Amazon.com and Andrews McMeel Universal. [Webcomics.com]
Retailing | Barnes & Noble’s second-quarter profits fell 27 percent, but still beat expectations. [The Associated Press]
Retailing | San Francisco’s Manga Cafe Mika is closing after just a year in business. “It was the wrong business,” co-owner Bruce Nakahida told Deb Aoki. “We misread the anime and manga business in the U.S. — it’s completely different (than it is in Japan).” [About.com]
The Walking Dead, Vol. 10
Sales charts | This week’s installment of The New York Times Graphic Books Best Seller List finds David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp and Darwyn Cooke’s Parker: The Hunter leading the hardcover category, and the 10th volume of The Walking Dead dethroning Watchmen on the paperback chart. The seventh volume of Matsuri Hino’s Vampire Knight again tops the manga list. [The New York Times]
Publishing | Ryan J. Prado profiles Bluewater Productions President Darren G. Davis. [Just Out]
Publishing | Deb Aoki talks to Marco Pavia, Tokyopop’s director of marketing, about the publisher’s new online initiative. [About.com]
Creators | Stan Lee talks about Time Jumper, his new project with Disney. [BBC News]
Art | Todd Klein wraps up his five-part study of Captain America logos, and includes commentary from letterer-designer Rian Hughes about his work on Captain America: Reborn. [Todd's Blog]
Comics | Sean Kleefeld spotlights some of the DC Comics minicomics that were packaged with the 1980s Super Powers Collection toyline. [Kleefeld on Comics]
- August 21, 2009 @ 07:25 AM by Kevin Melrose
4 Comments
Roquefort Raider
August 21, 2009 at 9:13 am
“Two newspapers look at efforts by the Brooklyn Public Library to restrict access to Herge’s 1931 volume Tintin in the Congo because of complaints about its offensive portrayal of Africans”.
Next on the list :
Oliver Twist (offensive portrayal of Jews)
All Batman stories featuring the Joker (offensive portrayal of the mentally ill)
Most of John Clancy’s novels (offensive portrayal of just about anyone who isn’t a Republican American)
Asterix (offensive portrayal of Romans)
Anything with Pepe le Pew in it (offensive portrayal of the French)…
Political correctness again, eh? “Tintin in the Congo” is a product of its time, and it’s true that it has a very paternalistic view of Africa. But it’s no more offensive than the average Tarzan movie from the 40s. In fact, I would encourage people to read it so they can see the silly things that passed for normal in the colonial era (witness Tintin teaching class and telling his little Congolese students “now let me tell you about your beautiful country : Belgium”. Even as a six year-old I thought that was hilarious).
Jason Baur
August 21, 2009 at 9:55 am
Presumably the Tintin material is under additional scrutiny due to the fact that above and beyond the “paternalistic” (i.e., racist) characterization of Africa and Africans, it features particularly egregious minstrel show-like *visual* depictions of Africans. The imagery is obviously more immediate and prone to evoke a visceral reaction.
David Tobin
August 22, 2009 at 5:11 am
This is a bs move. The story is of it’s time and as a product of it’s time should be felt on shelves. Perhaps a move to the adult section of the library would solve this problem?
Maddhatter
August 24, 2009 at 7:40 am
The first comment seems to say it all.