One of the most popular European comics of the 20th century (per Wikipedia), Tintin must stand as the most famous Belgian after Hercule Poirot. Published in more than 70 languages, the books remain hugely popular, more than 90 years after Tintin’s first appearance in a youth supplement of Le Vingtieme Siècle, a Belgian newspaper. Distinguished by a supporting cast of iconic characters including Captain Haddock, Thomson and Thomason, and Professor Calculus, the 24 books in the Tintin universe can sometimes play loose with the truth: when The Black Island, which is set in Scotland, was published in Great Britain, some 131 errors were corrected, including, for example, the fact that British police were not (in contrast to the original) typically armed. In particular, Tintin in the Congo has been criticized for its portrayal of the Congolese and for airbrushing out Belgium’s brutal colonial history. But the best of the books reflects a deep curiosity for the world, and an expansive, witty, often thrilling vision of the globe’s rich and beguiling diversity.  

Below are our favorite TinTin books, available to purchase individually or as a set.