Georges REMI, known as HERGÉ (1907-1983) TINTIN IN THE CONGO A18, 1942, Casterman, Large image Pellior red spine, 2nd plate A18, 4 coloured hors-texte, 30th mile. Dark blue endpapers. Pagination 2-111. Print run 5,000 copies. Published in bookshops on Monday 5 October 1942. Printing of the inner sections of the first large images began on 28 March 1942. In order: the Crab, the Black Island, the Congo, the Cigars, America and the Sceptre, followed by the Lotus and the Ear. On 13 May, more than nine months before its release, 5,000 copies of Tintin in the Congo were printed. Hergé wrote to Charles Lesne on 18 July 1942 to give his opinion on the photogravure proofs of the eight large images: "Tintin in the Congo: I had the title done in white as for The Crab. It will be even better, the blue of the sky being more intense. On 28 July, the covers were printed in quadruplicate, so that the albums could be bound for the start of the school year. On Friday 2 October 1942, Charles Lesne wrote: "We have finished the eight Tintin old-style books, which will go on sale next week. On 4 October, Hergé judged the eight albums: "Yesterday morning I received with great pleasure the albums you sent me [...]. I hasten to tell you that I am very pleased with the new covers. My only criticism is that there are too many black titles. You were right, the colour title should be used more. I'll see to that later. [...] I think it will be a success. Provided, now, that God lends us life, paper, ink, coal, electricity, manpower." This 82-year-old album from Éditions Casterman is in mint condition: the sections are absolutely new and white, with only a few very light foxes due to the high wood content of the paper at the time, and have never been read. The boards and spine are immaculate. Hergé/Tintinimaginatio 2024