As a child, I freaking adored Tintin, the Belgian comic strip about ... of drawing — cartoonish figures on more realistic, epic backgrounds — lent themselves to a feeling of scale.

The preface reminds readers that Hergé held a deep appreciation for Chinese art, which he studied in order to create his backgrounds ... entitled "In China with Tintin", which opened on Friday.

Having bought a model ship, the Unicorn, for a pound off a market stall Tintin is initially puzzled that the sinister Mr. Sakharine should be so eager to buy it from him, resorting to murder and ...