King Ottokar's Sceptre

Created in 1939, this book is most impressive and has its sights on Germany. Tintin finds a brief-case on a park bench and this leads him to Prague, then to Syldavia. He will save the Kingdom from being overthrown by a fascist "coup d'état".
King Ottokar's Sceptre - Cover
King Ottokar's Sceptre
King Ottokar's Sceptre - Title page
King Ottokar's Sceptre - Page 1
King Ottokar's Sceptre - Page 2
King Ottokar's Sceptre - Page 3
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King Ottokar's Sceptre covers in French
King Ottokar's Sceptre covers in French
“In fact, it was a friend who gave me the idea. She talked about an Anschluss (an annexation) which failed unfortunately for Müsstler; we are also confronted by the twins Alembick, who represent the idea of brothers in conflict; and here we meet for the first time Colonel Boris Jorgen, aide-de-camp of the King of Syldavia.” (Numa Sadoul, Tintin and I, Ed. Casterman, p153)

Almost perfect. A museum piece

The cover of King Ottokar's Sceptre reproduced below (on the right) deserves your full attention. It is indeed an album of 1942 that Hergé himself reworked to make the title more readable!
King Ottokar's Sceptre
Compare it with the version on the left to appreciate how much, thanks to the parchment in which Hergé has placed it, the title literally jumps out at you. This idea will be kept when the album is reworked in 1947.

What's news with the Thompsons twins? Wardrobe!

Not often seen for obvious reason, their garters are a revelation. Today, this fashion item has totally disappeared.
Tintin - The Adventures of Tintin - King Ottokar's Sceptre - Thompson and Thomson
© Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2024
However, who can be 100% sure? We discover visually this fashion accessory when the Thompsons are almost blown-away by the explosion of a bomb.

With Pleasurski!

You won't find Syldavia on the map. It's a pure Hergé invention, with its own history and language. Based on cockney Brussels slang, with a touch of French and Dutch, and rounded-off with some Slav words, we end-up with "politzski" for "police". Simple, to say the least!
Tintin - The Adventures of Tintin - King Ottokar's Sceptre
© Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2024

The Diva: Protect your ear drums

Here we meet, for the first time, the most important lady in the Tintin Adventures, namely Signora Bianca Castafiore of La Scala, Milan.
Tintin - The Adventures of Tintin - King Ottokar's Sceptre - Bianca Castafiore
© Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2024
The first contact with Tintin is not really a success. Tintin has never heard a voice like this. Fortunately, the car windows are shatter-proof. Our intrepid reporter escapes when he has the chance. How could we have survived without Bianca Castafiore?

Hergé is everywhere, just like Hitchcock

As Hitchcock often had a cameo role in his films. Hergé did the same in his stories. But it was not systematic. In King Ottokar's Sceptre, Hergé appears twice.
Tintin - The Adventures of Tintin - King Ottokar's Sceptre - Hergé
© Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2024
He is present when Tintin is arrested by the Royal Guards and later on during the presentation of the order of the Golden Pelican to Tintin by King Muskar XII.
Tintin - The Adventures of Tintin - King Ottokar's Sceptre - Hergé
© Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2024

It's been found!

“The Sceptre actually exists and even Hergé was not aware. In 1976, while restoring Saint Vitus Cathedral, within Prague Castle, certain royal possessions of Ottokar II, King of Bohemia (1230-1278), were discovered.
Tintin - The Adventures of Tintin - King Ottokar's Sceptre - Snowy
© Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2024
Yes the Sceptre exists and is a real treasure dating back five centuries...” (Numa Sadoul, Tintin and I, Ed. Casterman, p155).
6 reviews
or to write a review.
typhoon5
09/09/2023 20:23 PM
LONG LIVE MUSKAR XII!!!
snowy1000
27/09/2022 21:58 PM
Always loved it.
17/01/2022 00:49 AM
A very creative and enjoyable adventure!
vahidesmi
29/09/2021 20:36 PM
in Persian:
عصای شاه اتوکار
(عصای اسرار آمیز)
t0315523j
13/06/2021 15:03 PM
King Ottokar’s Sceptre
alfred12345
22/05/2021 18:03 PM
My favourite album!
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