A "Golden" Issue

“Éditions du Lombard plans to give the 30th anniversary of Tintin magazine a very special shine. […] We are planning a ‘gold’ cover for the special 30th-anniversary issue. The editor-in-chief will get in touch with you about this, as we all hope for your collaboration on this occasion,” wrote Guy Dessicy (for Publiart) to Hergé on May 6, 1976.

To mark the occasion, issue 40 (released on September 28 of that same year) was dressed in festive attire befitting such a milestone.

The cover, particularly refined, reflects the significance of the celebration. This is why several concepts were considered in advance for the commemorative emblem featured on it.

Among the proposals were a circular design showing Tintin and Snowy at the center, surrounded by a celebratory banner, and a second, speech-bubble-shaped version proudly displaying the number 30, with the zero framing the young reporter’s face.

Ultimately, a more elegant and streamlined version – better aligned with the visual language of the albums – was chosen. Against a gradient background of deep, understated yet warm red, the portraits of the young hero and his faithful companion Snowy stand out, topped with a bubble clearly declaring: “30th Anniversary!”

But the celebration was not limited to the cover alone… As promised in the editorial: “We had announced plenty of surprises for this special 30th-anniversary issue… including a reprint of the very first issue of Tintin, from 30 years ago…”

A historical nod and a real treat for devoted readers: rediscovering the very first issue, dated September 26, 1946, which marked the birth of a youth press legend. By 1976, Tintin magazine was no longer just a comic weekly; it had become a true… institution! And this special issue stands as the brightest proof of that legacy.