Belgium, Quebec celebrate 100th birthday of Tintin creator

Hundreds of Quebec fans ofTintin joined the celebration Tuesday as Belgium marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Herg, the cartoonist who created the intrepid boy reporter.

In Belgium, a cornerstone was laid for a new museum dedicated to Tintin, whotravels the world with his little dog, Snowy, solving mysteries and having adventures.

Quebec City's Muse de la Civilisation has an exhibit featuring original artwork from two of Tintin's adventures, The Seven Crystal Balls and Prisoners of the Sun.

The exhibits recreate the adventure stories, with some real artifacts from Peruvian and Aztec civilizations to help bring it to life.

"It's a bit playful and also scientific," said Dominique Bilodeau, curator of the exhibit.

Tintin is loved around the world and very popular in Quebec, she said told CBC Television.

"He's a hero and he fights for the weak, for the oppressed," she said. "He's very brave and you want him to be your friend."

Tintin iswell remembered in Belgium, where centennial celebrations include commemorative stamps, a coin and a new museum.

Comic lovers queued at post offices on Tuesdayto get hold of a special series of 25 commemorative stamps featuring Tintin and a picture of the artist himself.

A cornerstone was laid for a Herg museum in Louvain-la-Neuve, 25km outside of Brussels.

The museum, estimated to cost 15 million euros ($22 million Cdn), is scheduled to be completed by 2009, about the same time the Tintin movie, to be directed by Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame, hits the screen.

Stephen Spielberg is to co-operate on a series of three Tintinfilms.

Herg was born Georges Remi in Brussels in 1907 and created Tintin in 1929. His pen name, Herg, is based on his initials, G. R., reversed.

The album format he created to tell the Tintin stories became very popular; hewrote 24 Tintin stories before his death in 1983.

The Brussels-based organization Studio Herg is co-ordinating the centennial events, and co-operated with the Muse de la Civilisation on the current exhibit.

A musical based on Herg's workand a Tintin-themed flea market are to take place later this year.