Great Snakes!

A Tintin movie we will be graced with soon. Exciting stuff! We have had a few Asterix movies over the years. The last one being Asterix and the Vikings which was released in April last year (based on Asterix and the Normans). Not sure if the movie (which is animated - good old 2D animation at that - no Cars and The Invincibles jazz) did well. Haven't seen any traces of the movie here although the hardback comicbook with the same title is widely available. Search on the web doesn't show up many favourable reviews for the movie. The last live Asterix movie was released in 2002 - Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. Sony Pix recently screened the movie on cable TV. I somehow wasn't able watch the movie even for a little while since I didn't like it at all. No offence to Gerard Depardieu, he may be a wonderful actor but he is no Underzo's Obelix. Often when comic book characters transcend to the movies, it can affect the man in the comic. I now can't picture the face of Peter Parker or Bruce Wayne as they are in the Marvel or DC Comics. The faces of Toby Maguire and Christian Bale cloud the mind. Maybe I liked the Batman and Spiderman movies because the real heros - Batman and Spiderman are defined more by the costumes (which are portrayed pretty well in the movies) they wear and not by their alter egos - Parker and Wayne. But show me a Gerard Depardieu with a wig in a blue and white striped pants - I won't see Obelix because an Obelix without the large nose, the exaggerated slipped chest, huge arms, the bright yellow pigtails is not Obelix - all I will see is a large French actor.

What I am trying to come to is that I am really happy that the Tintin trilogy (Yes! Three movies. The first one is to be directed by Spielberg, the second by Peter Jackman) will be animated movies. That is a good thing. Movies like Finding Nemo, Shrek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are testament to the huge advances made in computer animation and it's application to movies. I feel that there is a high chance that the magic of the Herge characters will be captured on the big screen. Time will tell but I have my fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, if you think you know your Tintin covers, grab a pencil and take the quiz. Cheating encouraged. Any opportunity to grab a Tintin is not to be squandered.

1. On which cover(s) can we not see Tintin's face?
2. On which cover(s) can we not see Snowy?
3. Which cover(s) depict a land vehicle?
4. Which cover(s) contain examples of foreign writing?
5. Which cover(s) are set inside, as opposed to outdoors?
6. On which cover(s) do the Thompsons appear?
7. Which cover depicts a moment that comes earliest in the story?
8. Which cover depicts a moment that comes latest in the story?
9. Which cover depicts a moment that does not appear in the story at all?
10.On which cover(s) is Tintin the only live human?

The answers are posted in the comments section.

All 10 correct - You are a Thundering Typhoon
More than 8 correct - You are a Blue Blistering Barnacle
More than 5 correct - You are a Cachinnating Cockatoo
More than 3 correct - You are a Jellied Eel!
More than 1 correct - You are a Duck-billed Platypus
1 correct - You are a Macrocephalic Baboon
None correct - You are a Guano-gatherer

Questions taken from this Tintin site. Has some great articles.