Do we like them?

Do we like Tintin?

A character from The Adventures of Tintin (1929–1976)

Our score: 9 out of 10. Brave, honest and endlessly kind to strangers, he's about as dependable as a hero gets. We'd happily follow him anywhere, preferably with Snowy and a sturdy suitcase.

Tintin is a young reporter created by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé, who first drew him in 1929. He is always accompanied by his loyal fox terrier, Snowy. The comic series has 24 albums. In them Tintin travels from Europe to Asia, the Americas, Africa and even the Moon, and he gets drawn into mysteries, smuggling plots and political intrigue.

His strength is his character. He's curious, fearless, resourceful and unfailingly decent. He treats everyone with respect and has a strong sense of fairness. The reporting job is mostly a pretext for adventure, so he's really a detective and explorer who can't walk away from someone in trouble.

He isn't flawless. The earliest stories reflect the attitudes of their era, and he can be impulsive. Even so, he's loyal to Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus and the Thom(p)sons, and he consistently puts others first. That's why he scores so high.