1. How Comics Reflect
Social Perception of war?
The cases of The Adventures of Tintin and
Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths
Kong Kin Sang Ernest #11005521
Yung Hiu Yan Emily #10010092
28th November, 2012

2. Agenda
• Background of Work
• Reflection of Thoughts
• Drawing Style
• Image of Characters
• Language Discourse

4. The Adventures of Tintin
• Created by Georges Prosper Remi (Hergé)
– Worked at a conservative newspaper Le Xxe Sicèle
• One of the most popular comics in Europe in
20th century.
• Purpose: Education & Propaganda

5. The Land of the Soviets
• The Land of the Soviets
– Tintin travel to Soviet Union
– Report back on the policies by
the Stalin Government

6. Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths
• Created by Shigeru Mizuki (水木茂)
– Cartoonist of yokai (traditional ghosts) and
military manga
– Once a member of Imperial Japanese Army
– Victim of WWII
• Purpose:
– Portrayed his own experience

7. Reflection of thoughts
• Historical Background
– Communism raise in Soviet Union
• Anti-Communism
– Act as propaganda
– Reflect the fear to the communism
– Exposing the iniquities of communism

8. • The war changed Tin Tin
– Moved the focus of Tintin's adventures away from
current affairs
– Turned to stories with an escapist flavor

9. • For Herge
– Avoid controversy
• For the society
– Feel desperate about the situation
– Escape from the Reality
• Other stories
– Tintin in the Congo
• Depicting colonialism
– Tintin in America
• Describe capitalism

10. • Historical Background
– Post-WWII Japan occupied by Allied Power
– Mixed feeling towards war
– 1960s and 70s as golden age of Japanese
comics
• Japanese perception on war after WWII
– Neo-nationalists view
– Revisionist view
– Anti-war vision

11. • “90% fact”
• "It was a pure loss,"
• "Even as a young man, I
wondered how could people who
have been sent so far from home
feel like they are protecting our
country. Japan was attacking
other countries, and if protecting
ourselves was the mission, all we
had to do was stay at home."
• “When I think of those who, now
without voice, died pitifully in
war, I overcome with anger”

12. Drawing Style
• Simple
illustration
• Black and white
 color

13. • Simple lines for human and Complicated
illustration for natural environment

15. Image of Characters
• Heroic Image of Tintin

17. • Collective identity of Japanese
soldiers
• 30 characters
• BUT
– No main character

18. Language Discourse
• Describe how people think about Soviet
• Wording: Parker

19. • Title contrary to content
• Onwards towards our “NOBLE” deaths
• In-related to Government propaganda of
“honorable war death”
• In fact, may soldiers died without entering
battlefield

20. Conclusion
• Comics can be regarded useful tool to
understand social thoughts
• Both Westerners and Asians exert certain
degree of anti-war feelings
– Common wish of human towards stability and
peace