Tintin and the Picaros (The Adventures of Tintin)

Rating:
Summary: For the final time Tintin and the Captain share an adventure
Review: "Tintin and the Picaros" is the final adventure of the intrepid little reporter by Hergé not that there is really any sense of this being the end of the road. The only part of the story that suggests as much is the surprising discover that suddenly Captain Haddock can no longer stand the taste of alcohol. As the story begins the Captain and Tintin are discussing the state of affairs in San Theodoros, when General Tapioca's dictatorship continues to rule in place of their old friend Alcazar. Then news comes that prima donna Bianca Castafiore has been arrested by Tapioca as part of a conspiracy to over throw the government. Haddock things this is a good thing, because he knows exactly what sort of "guest" the soprano is like when he enjoys someone's hospitality. But then Tapioca charges Haddock, Tintin, and Professor Calculus are declared to be part of the conspiracy and a series of charges and countercharges, as well as outright insults, fly back in the forth in the headlines between Haddock and Tapioca. Finally the Captain agrees to accept Tapioca's "invitation" to come to San Theodoros to discuss the matter. Haddock is pretty much trapped into agreeing, and Calculus insists on going to Madame Castafiore's rescue, but Tintin refuses to go, knowing that just has to be a trap.

The title of the book refers to the Picaros, which is the name of the rebels in the mountains who want to take back the government of San Theodoros and return Alcazar to power. In this final Adventure of Tintin we are back on familiar ground for the most part, both in terms of the geography and the characters. We know, of course, that Tintin has not abandoned his friends and eagerly anticipate some clever way of arriving upon the scene at a most opportune moment. However, this turns out not to be the case, and when Tintin does arrive on the scene you know that Hergé is providing a standard adventure for his hero and his friends, and not something special, even if the final panel does make a point about the plight of Third World countries. But while "Tintin and the Picaros" is an average adventure at best, there can be no doubt that taken together these 21 stories (23 if you count the two earlier "flawed" adventures) are a major accomplishment in the field of comic books. I only wish I had made a point of reading these classics two or three decades earlier.

Rating:
Summary: Banana Republic...
Review: Bianca Castafiore, the 'Milanese nightingale' is arrested in San Theodoros, for allegedly plotting against the regime of General Tapioca, who goes on to accuse Tintin, Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus of working with Castafiore to overthrow his government in support of their friend, General Alcazar.

Tapioca lures our friends to San Theodoros by inviting them to come there and prove their innocence.
There the plot thickens and they are forced to flee their hosts and join up with Alcazar and his band of rebels: The Picaros, in the heart of San Theodoros' tropical jungle.

Behind the machinations of the Tapioca regime is the henchman is the sinister Colonel Sponsz, henchman of Tapioca's ally, and the Bordurian dictator, Marshall Kurvi Tasch.

With much humour, excitement and colour, Herge captures well the flavour of a Latin American Banana Republic.

Interesting to note is his play on the relationship of Borduria to her satellite, the Tapioca dictatorship in San Theodoros, resembling the relationship of the old Soviet Union to Cuba.

Rating:
Summary: My Review
Review: I have been reading Tintin books for a long time, and this book is one of the better ones of the collection. Altough it doesn't have all the humor and adventure as some of the other ones it still is loaded with lots of fun.