First Steps on the Moon

Author Hergé
Artist Hergé
Binding type Hardcover
Number of pages 64
Age 7-10 years, 11-14 years
ISBN 978-5-00041-542-9
Series The Adventures of Tintin
Translated by Mikhail Khachaturov
Publisher: Melik-Pashaev

The launch of a lunar rocket took place at the Centre for Atomic Research in Sildavian Sbroe, with Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Professor Tournesol, and Engineer Wolf on board. At Mission Control, everyone anxiously awaits the moment the first space explorers regain consciousness after the launch g-forces, but all attempts to contact them fail: there is still no response. And somewhere far away, unknown listeners are straining to hear Earth's calls: for them, the lunar mission holds more than just scientific interest… Thus begins the second part of a lunar thriller that keeps the reader in suspense until the very last page. An endless series of incredible events calls into question the very possibility of the heroes' safe return to Earth.

“The Adventures of Tintin” is a world-famous series of comic books by Belgian artist Georges Remi, who worked under the pseudonym Hergé. Risking his life, the brave reporter Tintin investigates mysterious incidents, but emerges victorious from every predicament. And whatever happens, his faithful friend is always by his side—Snowy, a pure white fox terrier.

Hergé conceived the idea of a space adventure in the mid-1940s, and it turned out to be so ambitious that he decided to once again use the diptych format that had proven itself so successful in two previous stories—the “pirate” and “Inca” adventures. The first part of Tintin's lunar journey, “Destination Moon,” was published in 1950 in Tintin magazine, and in 1953 it was released as a standalone album. In 1954, the final part of the diptych, “First Steps on the Moon,” was published, becoming nothing short of prophetic.