Snowy jumps off the page!

The world of Tintin in three dimensions

Snowy fighting with a parrot; Snowy defying a crocodile; Snowy scaring off a lion; Snowy taking on an elephant  -  you get the picture: these are scenes from Tintin in the Congo (the crocodile and the elephant) and Cigars of the Pharaoh (elephant). These are classic scenes handed down from generation to generation; they stir up many memories. It's now time to give these memories and classic stories a solid form, and is a new way to introduce Tintin to very young children who don't yet know the excitement that comes from a new book. Now we can say Tintin is not only "for 7 to 77 year olds," but also "for 7 months to 7 years"! This new generation will discover Tintin in a three dimensional way, with plushes and collectible objects even before they have the two-dimensional experience through the books. Without realizing it, they are taking part in a new adventure, with plushes that we'll tell you about here.

Faithful reproductions

It took over three years for a Snowy plus to appear in the shops. "The important thing is to be faithful to Hergé's work while at the same time responding to the demands of the public," said Fifi Tchang, who is in charge of three-dimensional objects at Moulinsart. "The combination of these two needs set in motion a creative process leading to a range of plushes and collectibles." A collection plushes based on the theme "Snowy in action" has been available since 2003. Firstly, important scenes were chosen, which offered a range of action scenes: the crocodile threatening Snowy is a hand puppet; the parrot talks when his side is pressed; the lion loses the end of his tail when a determined Snowy pulls it off! Nothing is left to chance: "This is an opportunity to discover the world of Hergé. That's why we have to be uncompromising when it comes to the quality of the plushes and the characteristics. Even Americans, not familiar with the comic strip, are enquiring where this charming, intrepid little dog discovered in a toy shop comes from."

Very strict standards

As soon as the scenes are chosen, a designer is called in and given a list of precise requirements and dimensions. Snowy always has to be 14 centimeters long, with the other animals (parrot, crocodile...) of proportional size. Snowy in action is different from the "Snowy alone" series, which is available in five sizes (10.5, 12, 20, 30 and 45 centimeters) and three poses: standing, sitting, lying down. "Each item has a spirit," says Fifi Tchang. "It's a cultural artifact, but also a personal or family item: the child will remember the story mummy or daddy read, with the help of the toys and plushes. So we need to offer a toy with the strongest possible image (a lion, an elephant...), formed as perfectly as possible. For this, we begin by searching out a partner who can meet our needs." The requirements are quite varied  -  and sometimes surprising. For example, the tissue paper used to wrap Snowy can only be purchased from one manufacture; it is not available anywhere else, a great trap for counterfeiters!

The stages of an adventure

As soon as a manufacturer is selected, after many visits to the plant, Moulinsart will offer them a basic contract. It is a question of respecting the work of Hergé and also the working conditions  -  and they are made in China. Why? Because certain crafts are no longer available in Europe, but can be found in China. A prototype is made, ready for modifications. This is where the commercial negotiations start. The plushes are sent to Moulinsart, the exclusive distributor of these items. Everything is done according to European standards of safety and consumer information. So the toy or object is a product of a whole team by the time it arrives into the hands of the child  -  and the collectors, who are just big kids at heart.

That Snowy, what a personality!

"When we submitted Snowy to Chinese manufacturers," adds Fifi Tchang, "we couldn't count on them knowing anything about Hergé's work. Our stylists are Europeans and their work is approved by Moulinsart before being sent to China. All these steps added up to a two-year process!" Out of all of Hergé's work and characters, Snowy is without doubt the only one who can inspire the enthusiasm of children  -  too young to have discovered the books, the last of which came out in 1976. "Courageous yet easily frightened, boastful and modest, Tintin's faithful companion" as Michael Farr describes him in Tintin & Co., Snowy has what it takes to please! We can also add his ravenous hunger. Snowy can't help salivating when he sees a bone, a chicken, a roast beef or some other delicacy. And we wonder why he's such a hit with kids!

The hidden message

We have described four scenes involving Snowy, which are represented in three dimensions. Are there others? Of course! Which ones? Fifi Tchang answers with a riddle: "You have to look closely at the descriptions which accompany the plushes. There you'll find a hint..." The little fold-out brochure is more explicit: Snowy talking to a chimpanzee; Snowy carried off by a condor; Snowy baying at a swan; Snowy ready to take on a buffalo  -  these references to Tintin in the Congo, Prisoners of the Sun and The Calculus Affair seem to be in the works. If you want to know what more our little doggie devil will be up to, you'll have to wait a few more months...