The Secrecy of the Unicorn

the Secrecy of the Unicorn ( adventures of Tintin: The Secrecy of the Unicorn , Hergé, 1943) is the eleventh album of Cartoon of the adventures of Tintin whose continuation is the Treasury of Rackham the Red .

Synopsis

Tintin buys a model of boat for the Capitaine Haddock. Coincidentally, it is that of a ship which the ancestor of this one ordered, the knight of Hadoque. Tintin discovers in the mainmast of the model an incomprehensible parchment. Meanwhile, the captain discovers a trunk containing of the objects having belonged to his ancestor. Tintin and Haddock learn the existence from a treasure and decide to launch out to its research. But the model is stolen…

Tintin learns thereafter that there exist two other counterparts of the ship. Going up the tracks, it finds the robbers: the brothers Loiseau, living with the Castle of Moulinsart. It stops them and recovers the other parchments at a pick-pocket. The three joined together parchments and the enigma (partly) solved, it any more but does not remain to leave to seek the treasure…

The history continues in the following album, the Treasury of Rackham the Red.

Context

This adventure was published in 1943 and did not undergo change since. Forced to publish by strip daily, Hergé developed to with it its narrative technique which will lead to masterpieces like the Business Sunflower and the Jewels of Castafiore .

Anecdotes

  • the plan of the Unicorn is the work of the model maker Gerard Liger-Belair, friend of Hergé.
  • In this album, Hergé represented in the foreground of the D2 box of page 2 his/her friend Jacques Van Melkebeke.
  • One notices, page 34 puts D1, that the figures formed by wire of the frock coat of the pick-pocket are 314731. However, if one inverts some of these figures, one obtains 317413, i.e. the number of the number plate of the car of the kidnappers of Tryphon Tournesol in the Seven Crystal balls.
  • In this album, Hergé draws, for the first time, the Château of Moulinsart, inspired of the Château of Cheverny (without its side wings), located on the edges of the the Loire.
  • At the beginning of this album, when Tintin goes with Milou to the market to the " puces" , it is noticed that Milou is suddenly taken itchings…

Adaptations

Animated version

This album was adapted in the animated series of 1962 and in the animated series of 1992

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