The Ephemerist

Here’s a final set of examples on how Tintin and related elements are used as a cultural icon in journalism and topical cartooning. Above, the front page of the april 3, 1987 edition of the Flemish daily De Morgen. It shows La Castafiore singing her famous aria, only now it’s not seeing her beauty that makes her laugh, but the scandals, shennanigans and goings-on that plagued the National Opera at that time.

Below, the Thompson twins (who, in fact, are not even brothers) are used by Flemish cartoonist Gerard Alsteens to comment on the Mexican elections somewhere in the mid-80’s, where everybody claimed they had one.

“I win”
“I would even state, ‘I win’”

Add to :

Celebrated Flemish cartoonist Gerard Alsteens (or Gal, for short) provided one of the campaign visuals for the new Fair Trade campaign that Oxfam Fair Trade is launching in Belgium this december. He used Leonardo’s Last Supper, but replaced the heads of Jesus and the apostles by the features of modern heroes from media and current affairs.

Bart Simpson, ET, Mickey Mouse, Charles Chaplin, John Lennon, Pope Benedictus, they all make an appearance. There’s even an anonymous Belgian reporter with a quiff. I wonder why he’s the only one who’s made “unrecognizable”. This wouldn’t be a take on Moulinsart’s quite protectionist attitude towards people who use Tintin’s likeness, would it ?

(artwork © Gal - all characters and their distinctive likenesses © their respective owners)

Add to :