Comments on: Little, Brown scraps Tintin Congo outing http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:03:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v= hourly 1 By: Gunplay » Blog Archive » Brother Needs Some Chapstick http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24126 Gunplay » Blog Archive » Brother Needs Some Chapstick Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:45:20 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24126 [...] Interesting conversation going on regarding TinTin In The Congo… [...] [...] Interesting conversation going on regarding TinTin In The Congo… [...]

]]> By: Sats B http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24125 Sats B Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:05:04 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24125 The simple truth is this. The publisher is afraid (rightly so) that they will be in court for ETERNITY from various angry Americans if they try to release this book in general distribution in the US. In essence, the book will never see the light of day because our sensitive minds are being protected by these various groups who know better than we do, reading this 'filth'. As to the comment by Chad that the book is available in the US, try to order it new directly from Amazon. You can't. Most 'common' people would go to a major bookstore or website and will be UNABLE to find it. In essence, we live in a highly censored PC society and it stinks. Ultimately, I am reminded the joke is on us, everytime I see a black-face TV commercial, or a preview of the next episode of any primetime drama featuring rape, torture, and murder. That stuff is fine for our people but a 70 year old book... ban it, burn it! The simple truth is this. The publisher is afraid (rightly so) that they will be in court for ETERNITY from various angry Americans if they try to release this book in general distribution in the US. In essence, the book will never see the light of day because our sensitive minds are being protected by these various groups who know better than we do, reading this ‘filth’.
As to the comment by Chad that the book is available in the US, try to order it new directly from Amazon. You can’t. Most ‘common’ people would go to a major bookstore or website and will be UNABLE to find it. In essence, we live in a highly censored PC society and it stinks.
Ultimately, I am reminded the joke is on us, everytime I see a black-face TV commercial, or a preview of the next episode of any primetime drama featuring rape, torture, and murder. That stuff is fine for our people but a 70 year old book… ban it, burn it!

]]> By: Latest Book Reviews http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24124 Latest Book Reviews Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:31:24 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24124 <strong>Latest Book Reviews...</strong> I couldn't understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting... Latest Book Reviews…

I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…

]]> By: Chad Anderson http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24123 Chad Anderson Thu, 04 Oct 2007 01:03:38 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24123 However, I do share Randy Lander's disappointment that the "complete" Tintin collection I preordered is anything but. However, I do share Randy Lander’s disappointment that the “complete” Tintin collection I preordered is anything but.

]]> By: Chad Anderson http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24122 Chad Anderson Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:43:18 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24122 Katherine, it did, however, get pulled from the children's section, its shelving there being the whole reason for the U.K. hullabaloo, which seems somewhat analagous to Little, Brown's decision not to release the book through its Young Readers division. Also, as Rory Root notes: <i>Still this book remains in print from Last Gasp. In an archival edition with a price of $24.95. So not targeted at the young ones; but still available for students of the time period and/or Herge.</i> So for all the teeth-gnashing going on in this thread and elsewhere about the United States' overly P.C. nature, it turns out that the book <i>is</i> available in the U.S., just not from Little, Brown. Katherine, it did, however, get pulled from the children’s section, its shelving there being the whole reason for the U.K. hullabaloo, which seems somewhat analagous to Little, Brown’s decision not to release the book through its Young Readers division. Also, as Rory Root notes:

Still this book remains in print from Last Gasp. In an archival edition with a price of $24.95.
So not targeted at the young ones; but still available for students of the time period and/or Herge.

So for all the teeth-gnashing going on in this thread and elsewhere about the United States’ overly P.C. nature, it turns out that the book is available in the U.S., just not from Little, Brown.

]]> By: Alan Spinney http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24121 Alan Spinney Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:16:02 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24121 I think this books should be grandfathered, and released as a historical document. It should have a disclaimer clearly printed on the cover, and on the inside of the volume. I think this books should be grandfathered, and released as a historical document. It should have a disclaimer clearly printed on the cover, and on the inside of the volume.

]]> By: Katherine F. http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24120 Katherine F. Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:45:10 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24120 American Guy: You can say "black". Really, you can. And I note that while the outrage did begin in the UK, the UK outrage didn't result in the book being pulled from the shelves. (I saw it in the graphic novel section of my favourite bookshop just last Saturday.) In fact, the controversy resulted in massively increased sales. I note, too, that <a href="http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=24&story_id=42631" rel="nofollow">a student from the Congo</a> has filed a legal complaint in Belgium against the rights-owners, claiming that the book is an insult to all Congolese people. American Guy: You can say “black”. Really, you can.

And I note that while the outrage did begin in the UK, the UK outrage didn’t result in the book being pulled from the shelves. (I saw it in the graphic novel section of my favourite bookshop just last Saturday.) In fact, the controversy resulted in massively increased sales.

I note, too, that a student from the Congo has filed a legal complaint in Belgium against the rights-owners, claiming that the book is an insult to all Congolese people.

]]> By: Kat Kan http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24119 Kat Kan Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:36:32 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24119 There are objectionable ethnic stereotypes throughout the Tin Tin series, not just of Africans, but of Chinese, Native Americans, various Latino groups, and many more. Singling out one book in the series doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Yes, perhaps it would be better to have the Tintin books published for the adult market, and those parents who have the time and committment to raise their children to consider cultural differences as opportunities for expanding one's personal horizons can share the books with their children. I'm speaking as a person of mixed ethnicities (Japanese/Caucasian). There are objectionable ethnic stereotypes throughout the Tin Tin series, not just of Africans, but of Chinese, Native Americans, various Latino groups, and many more. Singling out one book in the series doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Yes, perhaps it would be better to have the Tintin books published for the adult market, and those parents who have the time and committment to raise their children to consider cultural differences as opportunities for expanding one’s personal horizons can share the books with their children. I’m speaking as a person of mixed ethnicities (Japanese/Caucasian).

]]> By: American Guy http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24118 American Guy Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:07:22 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24118 Er... African-<i>British</i>? Sorry, I don't know what the proper term is. Er… African-British? Sorry, I don’t know what the proper term is.

]]> By: American Guy http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24117 American Guy Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:06:48 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24117 “For f**k’s sake, you as a country need to grow up and deal with it.” It probably bears noting that the outcry against <i>Tin Tin in the Congo</i> began in the U.K. when a young African-American child was offended by the representations in the book. The controversy crept across the pond to the U.S. I'm against censoring these images for the reason that they could be conducive to bringing parents and kids into some important conversations about race and prejudice. However, I say that as a white male. If I were black, I might very well have different (and strong) feelings about the matter. “For f**k’s sake, you as a country need to grow up and deal with it.”

It probably bears noting that the outcry against Tin Tin in the Congo began in the U.K. when a young African-American child was offended by the representations in the book. The controversy crept across the pond to the U.S.

I’m against censoring these images for the reason that they could be conducive to bringing parents and kids into some important conversations about race and prejudice. However, I say that as a white male. If I were black, I might very well have different (and strong) feelings about the matter.

]]> By: Dr. Hero http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24116 Dr. Hero Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:19:59 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24116 This seems like a bad decision to me, but of course it's the publisher's prerogative to publish or not publish the book. This seems like a bad decision to me, but of course it’s the publisher’s prerogative to publish or not publish the book.

]]> By: michael http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24115 michael Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:56:04 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24115 Good. If the marketing was geared more towards younger kids who might not get the historic creation of these books, their views, without adult supervision, might be misconstrued about what is what. I don't generally get why people, who would not be offended by the book, get so uproariously uptight about these sorts of decisions. I am not a black person, therefore, I don't really know how something like this would make me feel. It's a hard disconnect that doesn't seem to really enchance any more discussion bt those who should be included in such a debate. I'd certainly hope more discussions of this kind open up to include the possibly offended's voices. Good. If the marketing was geared more towards younger kids who might not get the historic creation of these books, their views, without adult supervision, might be misconstrued about what is what.

I don’t generally get why people, who would not be offended by the book, get so uproariously uptight about these sorts of decisions. I am not a black person, therefore, I don’t really know how something like this would make me feel.

It’s a hard disconnect that doesn’t seem to really enchance any more discussion bt those who should be included in such a debate. I’d certainly hope more discussions of this kind open up to include the possibly offended’s voices.

]]> By: The Beat http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24114 The Beat Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:46:12 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24114 I just went in and deleted a bunch of ignorant posts. Come on people. I expect better of you. I just went in and deleted a bunch of ignorant posts. Come on people. I expect better of you.

]]> By: Rory D. Root http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24113 Rory D. Root Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:36:12 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24113 Still this book remains in print from Last Gasp. In an archival edition with a price of $24.95. So not targeted at the young ones; but still available for students of the time period and/or Herge. Still this book remains in print from Last Gasp. In an archival edition with a price of $24.95.
So not targeted at the young ones; but still available for students of the time period and/or Herge.

]]> By: Christopher Moonlight http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24112 Christopher Moonlight Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:35:59 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2007/10/02/little-brown-scraps-tintin-congo-outing/#comment-24112 "Speaking of which, how is that war with Iran coming along?" Things seem to be getting a little nasty (and off topic) here, so I will say goodbye. “Speaking of which, how is that war with Iran coming along?”

Things seem to be getting a little nasty (and off topic) here, so I will say goodbye.

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