Belgian · 1907–1983
Belgian cartoonist who created Tintin and defined the European comic strip. Born Georges Prosper Remi in Brussels, he developed the "clear line" style—precise outlines, flat colors, meticulous research—that made his adventure stories visually legible and globally exportable. From 1929 to 1976, Tintin traveled from the Congo to the Moon, always accompanied by Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, and Snowy the dog. The early albums carry colonial-era prejudices; the later ones show genuine anthropological care. The Blue Lotus (1936) marks the turn. Hergé sold over 200 million albums. His studio system influenced Franco-Belgian comics for decades.