Le Journal Tintin to celebrate 77 years with omnibus special issue

By John Freeman on July 23, 2023 • ( 2 )

French publisher Éditions Le Lombard and Éditions Moulinsart have announced they will co-publish Le Journal Tintin spécial 77 ans, a special ‘mook’ (magazine-book) to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the landmark weekly comics magazine, launched on 26th September 1946.

*Side by side: Le Journal Tintin spécial 77 ans (2023), the regular and hardback editions*

Tintin, or to give it its full French title, Le Journal de Tintin, and its Dutch counterpart, Kuifje, was a weekly Franco-Belgian comics magazine, one of the major publications of the Franco-Belgian comics scene for decades, until declining sales, French fans favouring albums over serialised comics, saw its closure in 1993.

Rivalled only by Le Journal de Spirou, launched almost a decade earlier, in 1938, still published today, Tintin published such notable series as “Blake and Mortimer”, “Alix”, and the principal title, “The Adventures of Tintin”.

Due for release on 8th September 2023, coinciding with the free Belgian BD Comic Strip Festival (8th – 10th September), Éditions du Lombard will celebrates the magazine’s seventy-seventh anniversary and, for the occasion, is reviving Le Journal de Tintin for an exceptional, omnibus issue. The publisher has also announced a special hardcover edition will follow in November.

“Why 77 years, you ask?” Comics auteur Paul Gravett recently challenged. “Because with its 19th issue, a reader’s letter hailed the magazine for being ‘for young people from the age of 7 to 77’, and this slogan was added to the front cover.”

*Side by side: Le Journal Tintin spécial 77 ans (2023), and the first issue, published in 1946*

Running to nearly 400 pages of short stories created especially to celebrate the history of this periodical which transformed the publishing landscape of “The Ninth Art” in Europe, this “mook” will bring together more than 80 authors, gathered to pay tribute to the heroes who have made and will make all generations dream.

Among the treats and tributes, François Boucq draws “’Modeste & Pompon”, Hermann revives “Commanche”, and Robin Recht shows a side of Gallo-Roman adventurer “Alix” that would not have been possible in the original magazine.

Don’t expect a new Tintin story, however: the rights holders to Hergé’s most famous character, Tintinimaginatio (formerly Moulinsart SA), are firm the adventurer’s canon is sacrosanct, comprising only adventures drawn by the late comic creator himself.

“If you had dreamed of reading Bernard Prince by Philippe Xavier and Matz, or Modeste and Pompon by Nob, it will be in the pages of this collection and nowhere else,” enthuse the team over at Tintin.com of the upcoming release. “Some, such as Trondheim or Juncker, have chosen the humour card. Still others, such as Zidrou, Falzar, Dellac and Hamo, preferred to focus on the emotion related to their memories. Finally, pillars of the newspaper such as Derib or Cosey will revisit their own work with hindsight and emotion.

“The word ‘historical’ is often overused but, here, really, it would be a shame to miss this unique moment! You will have been warned…”

*The full lineup of strips and features that will be included in the 77th anniversary edition of Le Journal de Tintin*

Features on the magazine’s history and characters will also be included, as well as an unpublished dossier produced by Éditions Moulinsart, an essential partner of this “publication event”.

Among other celebrations, to also mark the anniversary, from 9th September until 25th August 2024, the Belgian Comic Strip Center will host an exhibition, “Le Lombard une affaire de famille”, designed by Thierry Bellefroid and staged by the agency Les Drôles & co. d’Ezilda Tribot. The exhibition will chart the entire history of the publisher, including and include original comic art and photos of the creators, alongside reproductions and audio visual displays.

• Check out a special preview of this omnibus anniversary Le Journal de Tintin on the official Éditions du Lombard website

• You can preorder this Special here from BD addik – do note that due to Brexit, additional customs fees may apply

• BD Comic Strip Festival 2023 8th – 10th September 2023, The Comics Art Museum , 20 Rue des Sables, 1000 Brussels | Free

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.