From "A Farewell to Arms" to the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor, thousands of artistic works will enter the public domain in the United States on Wednesday.&nbsp;
US copyright law expires after 95 years for books, films and other works of art, while sound recordings from 1924 will also be copyright-free.
By entering the public domain, the pieces can be copied, shared, reproduced, or adapted by anyone without paying the rights owner.
This year's crop includes internationally recognized figures such as the comic character Tintin, who made his debut in a Belgian newspaper in 1929, and Popeye the Sailor, created by cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar.&nbsp;
Every December, the Center for the Study of the Public Domain publishes a list of the cultural works that lose their copyright in the new year.
The center, part of the Duke University School of Law in the southeastern US state of North Carolina, makes the list available on its website for anyone to peruse.
"In past years we have celebrated an exciting cast of public domain characters: the original Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh, and the final iterations of Sherlock Holmes from Arthur Conan Doyle's stories," center director Jennifer Jenkins wrote on its website.
"In 2025 copyright expires over more aspects of Mickey from his 1929 incarnations, along with the initial versions of Popeye and Tintin."
Among the literary works entering the US public domain on January 1 are the novels "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner, "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway, "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf, and the first English translation of "All Quiet on the Western Front" by the German author Erich Maria Remarque.
Films that will be in the public domain include Blackmail, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and The Black Watch, the first sound film by Oscar-winning director John Ford.
Musical compositions published in 1929, such as "Bolero" by French composer Maurice Ravel and "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin, will lose their copyrights, though only recordings from 1924 or earlier will be in the public domain.

US copyright law expires after 95 years for books, films, and other works of art, while sound recordings from 1924 will also be copyright-free. The pieces can now be copied, shared, reproduced, or adapted by anyone without paying the rights owner.

From "A Farewell to Arms" to the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor, thousands of artistic works will enter the public domain in the United States on Wednesday. US copyright law expires after 95 years for books, films and other works of art, while sound recordings from 1924 will also be copyright-free. By entering the public domain, the pieces can be copied, shared, reproduced, or adapted by anyone without paying the rights owner. This year's crop includes internationally recognized figures such as the comic character Tintin, who made his debut in a Belgian newspaper in 1929, and Popeye the Sailor, created by cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar. Every December, the Center for the Study of the Public Domain publishes a list of the cultural works that lose their copyright in the new year. The center, part of the Duke University School of Law in the southeastern US state of North Carolina, makes the list available on its website for anyone to peruse. "In past years we have celebrated an exciting cast of public domain characters: the original Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh, and the final iterations of Sherlock Holmes from Arthur Conan Doyle's stories," center director Jennifer Jenkins wrote on its website. "In 2025 copyright expires over more aspects of Mickey from his 1929 incarnations, along with the initial versions of Popeye and Tintin." Among the literary works entering the US public domain on January 1 are the novels "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner, "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway, "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf, and the first English translation of "All Quiet on the Western Front" by the German author Erich Maria Remarque. Films that will be in the public domain include Blackmail, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and The Black Watch, the first sound film by Oscar-winning director John Ford. Musical compositions published in 1929, such as "Bolero" by French composer Maurice Ravel and "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin, will lose their copyrights, though only recordings from 1924 or earlier will be in the public domain.

Tintin, Popeye, Hemingway among US copyrights expiring in 2025

A 17th-century English tomb linked to the beloved Tintin comics has been granted official protection as a "remarkable" historic place by heritage chiefs.

In sleepy Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, far from the snowy mountains of Tibet where the intrepid young reporter Tintin roamed, lies the tomb of Mary Haddock, mother of Admiral Richard Haddock.

The admiral is believed to have inspired the character of the ill-tempered Captain Haddock in Belgium author Herge's "Adventures of Tintin".

Known for his inventive expletives like "blue blistering barnacles!", the comic captain was a seafarer like Richard Haddock.

Mary Haddock's tomb is "notable as a single monument dedicated to a named woman in a period of gender inequality", according to Historic England, which announced "17 remarkable and unusual historic buildings and places" listed this year on Wednesday.

Other quirky additions include a brutalist concrete Baptist church in Bristol, southwest England, which has a Tesco supermarket on its ground floor and is known locally as the "church above the shops".

Historic England classed the 1960s building as a "striking example of post-war church architecture".&nbsp;

A former bungalow-style maternity ward and an early 20th-century fingerpost -- a crossroads signal with pointing fingers at the ends of the direction arms -- were also listed as Grade II sites this year.

The annual roundup highlights little-known and quirky heritage sites among the 211 buildings and sites of historic interest listed in 2024.

Heritage Minister Chris Bryant said it was a celebration of the "hard work to protect and preserve some truly unique buildings and places that have helped shape our cultural history."&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

A 17th-century English tomb linked to the beloved Tintin comics has been granted official protection as a "remarkable" historic place by heritage chiefs. In sleepy Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, far from the snowy mountains of Tibet where the intrepid young reporter Tintin roamed, lies the tomb of Mary Haddock, mother of Admiral Richard Haddock.

A 17th-century English tomb linked to the beloved Tintin comics has been granted official protection as a "remarkable" historic place by heritage chiefs. In sleepy Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, far from the snowy mountains of Tibet where the intrepid young reporter Tintin roamed, lies the tomb of Mary Haddock, mother of Admiral Richard Haddock. The admiral is believed to have inspired the character of the ill-tempered Captain Haddock in Belgium author Herge's "Adventures of Tintin". Known for his inventive expletives like "blue blistering barnacles!", the comic captain was a seafarer like Richard Haddock. Mary Haddock's tomb is "notable as a single monument dedicated to a named woman in a period of gender inequality", according to Historic England, which announced "17 remarkable and unusual historic buildings and places" listed this year on Wednesday. Other quirky additions include a brutalist concrete Baptist church in Bristol, southwest England, which has a Tesco supermarket on its ground floor and is known locally as the "church above the shops". Historic England classed the 1960s building as a "striking example of post-war church architecture". A former bungalow-style maternity ward and an early 20th-century fingerpost -- a crossroads signal with pointing fingers at the ends of the direction arms -- were also listed as Grade II sites this year. The annual roundup highlights little-known and quirky heritage sites among the 211 buildings and sites of historic interest listed in 2024. Heritage Minister Chris Bryant said it was a celebration of the "hard work to protect and preserve some truly unique buildings and places that have helped shape our cultural history." (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Blistering barnacles! Tintin-linked tomb gets historic listing

Iconic comic book series Tintin has landed itself in a controversy over the new updated content of its book Tintin in Congo. The book, for years, has been questioned for its racist content and has been recently updated keeping in mind the criticism that it has faced for so many years. The book by Belgian comic strip artist Herge, the second volume of The Adventures of Tintin, was first published in 1931. But over the years it has been widely criticised over its colonialist depiction of Africans. 
 
The Belgian Congo -- comprising most of present-day Republic of Congo -- was then a colony of the European country, becoming independent&nbsp;in 1960. In the comic,&nbsp;Tintin, an intrepid reporter, travels to Belgian Congo to report on events there leading to encounters with native people, wild animals and an American diamond-smuggling gangster. 
 
Over recent decades, the comic strip has become increasingly controversial, with critics pointing to its racist and colonialist treatment of the local population.

The new edition, launched in November together with two other books in the Tintin series, carries a preface explaining the colonial context of the time.

It also contains tweaks to the story. At one point, Tintin teaches an African child mathematics, whereas in the original he teaches the child that its home nation is Belgium. 
 
The cover was also changed from the original, showing Tintin facing off against a lion, whereas before he was sitting with a black child. 
 
"This volume goes back to a time, that is thankfully over, where it was acceptable to consider blacks as inferior," said Patrick Lozes, founder of CRAN, a federation of anti-racism associations to AFP. 
 
He welcomed the addition of the preface, which he said went "in the right direction". 
 
The preface, written by Philippe Goddin -- head of the Friends of Herge association -- is mostly concerned with defending the record of Tintin's creator in terms of racism.&nbsp; 
 
"He defended himself vigorously against that charge," he wrote. "He happily mocked everybody, whites and blacks." 
 
In an interview with AFP Goddin said&nbsp;"there is a thin line between caricature and racism, he did not cross that line". 
 
Pascal Blanchard, a historian of colonialist propaganda, said he was "surprised" that the publishers did not make a special announcement of the changes, and that the new preface was not mentioned on the cover.&nbsp;He called the preface "highly debatable". 
Claims that Herge's work had simply been a reflection of his time were "facile and false", he said. 
 
Herge himself admitted in 1975 that all he knew about the Belgian Congo was "what people talked about" at the time, saying: "I drew Africans in the pure spirit of paternalism that was prevalent back then." 
 
Herge is considered as one of the leading cartoonists of the 20th century, with a unique style that influenced many artists, including pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. 
 
Tintin's adventures have been translated into 130 languages, sold 260 million copies and been made into TV shows and a Hollywood film. 
 
(With agency inputs)

Iconic comic book series Tintin has landed itself in a controversy over the new updated content of its book Tintin in Congo. The book, for years, has been questioned for its racist content and has been recently updated keeping in mind the criticism that it has faced for so many years.

Iconic comic book series Tintin has landed itself in a controversy over the new updated content of its book Tintin in Congo. The book, for years, has been questioned for its racist content and has been recently updated keeping in mind the criticism that it has faced for so many years. The book by Belgian comic strip artist Herge, the second volume of The Adventures of Tintin, was first published in 1931. But over the years it has been widely criticised over its colonialist depiction of Africans. The Belgian Congo -- comprising most of present-day Republic of Congo -- was then a colony of the European country, becoming independent in 1960. In the comic, Tintin, an intrepid reporter, travels to Belgian Congo to report on events there leading to encounters with native people, wild animals and an American diamond-smuggling gangster. Over recent decades, the comic strip has become increasingly controversial, with critics pointing to its racist and colonialist treatment of the local population. The new edition, launched in November together with two other books in the Tintin series, carries a preface explaining the colonial context of the time. It also contains tweaks to the story. At one point, Tintin teaches an African child mathematics, whereas in the original he teaches the child that its home nation is Belgium. The cover was also changed from the original, showing Tintin facing off against a lion, whereas before he was sitting with a black child. "This volume goes back to a time, that is thankfully over, where it was acceptable to consider blacks as inferior," said Patrick Lozes, founder of CRAN, a federation of anti-racism associations to AFP. He welcomed the addition of the preface, which he said went "in the right direction". The preface, written by Philippe Goddin -- head of the Friends of Herge association -- is mostly concerned with defending the record of Tintin's creator in terms of racism. "He defended himself vigorously against that charge," he wrote. "He happily mocked everybody, whites and blacks." In an interview with AFP Goddin said "there is a thin line between caricature and racism, he did not cross that line". Pascal Blanchard, a historian of colonialist propaganda, said he was "surprised" that the publishers did not make a special announcement of the changes, and that the new preface was not mentioned on the cover. He called the preface "highly debatable". Claims that Herge's work had simply been a reflection of his time were "facile and false", he said. Herge himself admitted in 1975 that all he knew about the Belgian Congo was "what people talked about" at the time, saying: "I drew Africans in the pure spirit of paternalism that was prevalent back then." Herge is considered as one of the leading cartoonists of the 20th century, with a unique style that influenced many artists, including pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Tintin's adventures have been translated into 130 languages, sold 260 million copies and been made into TV shows and a Hollywood film. (With agency inputs)

Tintin comic updates its book after facing criticism over racist content

A Tintin drawing by the Belgian artist Herge sold Thursday in Paris for 3.175 million euros ($3.86 million), breaking the record for the most expensive comic book art in history.

The painting is the work of Belgian illustrator Georges Remi, better known by his nom de plume Herge, who was the author of the&nbsp;Tintin&nbsp;comic books. He died in 1983.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tintin-painting-could-fetch-up-to-28-million-euros-at-paris-auction-356719/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The 1936 work in Chinese ink, gouache and watercolour was destined as a cover for ''The Blue Lotus,''&nbsp;the fifth volume of the adventures of Tintin,&nbsp;according to the Artcurial auction house, which conducted the sale.

The work features a red dragon on a black background by the frightened character's face. It never graced store shelves because it was deemed too expensive to reproduce on a wide scale, a victim of the artist's craftsmanship.

In the pre-World War album,&nbsp;Tintin travels to China during the 1931 Japanese invasion with his dog, Snowy, to investigate and expose Japanese spy networks, drug-smuggling rings and other crimes.

Herge's publisher rejected the painting, and a different Herge image was used for the cover.

The illustrator gave the rejected image as a gift for Jean-Louis Casterman, heir to the publishing house that published the&nbsp;Tintin&nbsp;books.

The painting was kept by Casterman, folded in a drawer. Until his death, he declined offers to sell the work, saying he treasured it as a gift from Herge, according to Eric Leroy, a&nbsp;comic book expert at Artcurial.

"It's the most beautiful item that's on the market in private hands," Leroy said before the sale.

The 3.2 million euro sale price is before the auctioneer's fees are added. The buyer was a private collector, whom the auction house did not identify.

The record price set at Thursday's sale organized by the Artcurial auction house did not include auction fees.

Work by Herg, whose real name was Georges Remi, previously set the record for the most expensive pieces of comic book art with the front pages of Tintin comic books that also sold for 2.6 million euros, including auction fees.&nbsp;

A Tintin drawing by the Belgian artist Herge sold Thursday in Paris for 3.175 million euros ($3.86 million), breaking the record for the most expensive comic book art in history.

A Tintin drawing by the Belgian artist Herge sold Thursday in Paris for 3.175 million euros ($3.86 million), breaking the record for the most expensive comic book art in history. The painting is the work of Belgian illustrator Georges Remi, better known by his nom de plume Herge, who was the author of the Tintin comic books. He died in 1983. The 1936 work in Chinese ink, gouache and watercolour was destined as a cover for ''The Blue Lotus,'' the fifth volume of the adventures of Tintin, according to the Artcurial auction house, which conducted the sale. The work features a red dragon on a black background by the frightened character's face. It never graced store shelves because it was deemed too expensive to reproduce on a wide scale, a victim of the artist's craftsmanship. In the pre-World War album, Tintin travels to China during the 1931 Japanese invasion with his dog, Snowy, to investigate and expose Japanese spy networks, drug-smuggling rings and other crimes. Herge's publisher rejected the painting, and a different Herge image was used for the cover. The illustrator gave the rejected image as a gift for Jean-Louis Casterman, heir to the publishing house that published the Tintin books. The painting was kept by Casterman, folded in a drawer. Until his death, he declined offers to sell the work, saying he treasured it as a gift from Herge, according to Eric Leroy, a comic book expert at Artcurial. "It's the most beautiful item that's on the market in private hands," Leroy said before the sale. The 3.2 million euro sale price is before the auctioneer's fees are added. The buyer was a private collector, whom the auction house did not identify. The record price set at Thursday's sale organized by the Artcurial auction house did not include auction fees. Work by Herg, whose real name was Georges Remi, previously set the record for the most expensive pieces of comic book art with the front pages of Tintin comic books that also sold for 2.6 million euros, including auction fees.

Tintin comic book art breaks auction record; sells for $3.8 million

Tintin will mark his 90th birthday this year with a return to controversy as his Belgian creator`s heirs release a new edition of 'Tintin in the Congo', a work from 1930 that draws accusations of racism. 
 
The boy reporter`s adventure in the then Belgian colony was among the first Tintin stories to be serialised by the artist Herge, and his widow`s firm is launching a remastered digital version in colour to celebrate 90 years since the strip cartoon character first appeared in a Brussels newspaper in 1929. 
 
The publishers dismissed suggestions that the story, which features charicatural black Africans with fat, red lips and wearing loincloths, was problematic: "Dialogue is most important and the work of deconstruction, decolonisation, is just as important," Robert Vangeneberg told reporters on Thursday. 
 
However, one Congolese, noted Brussels-based comic book artist Barly Baruti, told Reuters that he felt that bringing out a new edition of the work at a time when nationalist and racist groups appear to be on the rise in Europe was questionable: "We really ask ourselves if it is the right moment," he said. 
 
First issued as a complete album in book form in 1946, 'Tintin in the Congo'&nbsp;features Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy grappling with diamond smugglers and big game hunters. 
 
A Belgian court reject an attempt by Congolese campaigners a decade ago to have the book banned. The judges said it reflected the colonial attitudes of its time and there was no evidence that Herge -- who died in 1983 aged 75 -- had held racist views.

Tintin will mark his 90th birthday this year with a return to controversy as his Belgian creator`s heirs release a new edition of 'Tintin in the Congo', a work from 1930 that draws accusations of racism.

Tintin will mark his 90th birthday this year with a return to controversy as his Belgian creator`s heirs release a new edition of 'Tintin in the Congo', a work from 1930 that draws accusations of racism. The boy reporter`s adventure in the then Belgian colony was among the first Tintin stories to be serialised by the artist Herge, and his widow`s firm is launching a remastered digital version in colour to celebrate 90 years since the strip cartoon character first appeared in a Brussels newspaper in 1929. The publishers dismissed suggestions that the story, which features charicatural black Africans with fat, red lips and wearing loincloths, was problematic: "Dialogue is most important and the work of deconstruction, decolonisation, is just as important," Robert Vangeneberg told reporters on Thursday. However, one Congolese, noted Brussels-based comic book artist Barly Baruti, told Reuters that he felt that bringing out a new edition of the work at a time when nationalist and racist groups appear to be on the rise in Europe was questionable: "We really ask ourselves if it is the right moment," he said. First issued as a complete album in book form in 1946, 'Tintin in the Congo' features Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy grappling with diamond smugglers and big game hunters. A Belgian court reject an attempt by Congolese campaigners a decade ago to have the book banned. The judges said it reflected the colonial attitudes of its time and there was no evidence that Herge -- who died in 1983 aged 75 -- had held racist views.

Tintin marks 90th birthday with colonial controversy; heirs of Herge to release 'Tintin in the Congo'

Two original Tintin comic strips are expected to break records on Saturday when they go under the hammer in Paris.

The first from &quot;Explorers on the Moon&quot;, widely regarded as one of the two best Tintin adventures, could fetch up to up to $1 million.&nbsp;

The page, entitled &quot;We walk on the moon&quot;, has the boy reporter, his dog Snowy and blundering sidekick Captain Haddock making their first moon walk from their red and white rocket.

With the 1954 book viewed as one of the artist Herge&#39;s masterpieces, the Paris auction house Artcurial values it at least 900,000 Euros ($950,000).

The late Belgian artist already holds the world record for the sale of a comic strip.

A double-page ink drawing that served as the inside cover for all the Tintin adventures published between 1937 and 1958, sold for $3.7 million to an American fan two years ago.

Saturday&#39;s sales are expected to break records for single strips.

Rival auction house Christie&#39;s is putting drawings from another rare Herge strip up for sale later in the day in Paris.&nbsp;

It said the page from the unfinished story &quot;Tintin and the Thermozero&quot; -- estimated at 250,000 Euros -- was the first ever to come to market.&nbsp;

Why the artist never finished the tale of espionage and a terrifying secret weapon set against the backdrop of the Cold War, is one of the great mysteries for Tintin-ologists.

Herge wrestled with it for years, &quot;starting it at the end of the 1950s&quot;, said Christie&#39;s, but never got further than eight pages.

Drunk Captain Haddock

Artcurial&#39;s comics expert Eric Leroy described the &quot;Explorers on the Moon&quot; as &quot;a key moment in the history of comic book art... it has become mythic for many lovers and collectors of comic strips.

&quot;It is one of the most important from Herge&#39;s postwar period, on the same level as &#39;Tintin in Tibet&#39; and &#39;The Castafiore Emerald&#39;,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The story completes the lunar adventure started in &quot;Destination Moon&quot; (1953) and features several hilarious episodes including Haddock getting drunk on whisky and floating off into space to briefly become a satellite of the asteroid Adonis.

It turns on Tintin foiling a plot by a mysterious foreign power to hijack the rocket by the evil stowaway spy Colonel Jorgen. &nbsp;

The moon drawings are being sold alongside 20 ink sketches Herge created for a series of New Year&#39;s greeting cards known as his &quot;snow cards&quot;.

The cards are expected to go for between 60,000 and 120,000 euros each, Artcurial estimate.

Prices for cartoon art have multiplied tenfold in the last decade, according to gallery owner Daniel Maghen, who also works with comic art.

The sales comes as Tintinmania again grips the French capital, with Herge currently the subject of a huge retrospective exhibition at the Grand Palais.&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The first from 'Explorers on the Moon', widely regarded as one of the two best Tintin adventures, could fetch up to up to $1 million

Two original Tintin comic strips are expected to break records on Saturday when they go under the hammer in Paris. The first from "Explorers on the Moon", widely regarded as one of the two best Tintin adventures, could fetch up to up to $1 million. The page, entitled "We walk on the moon", has the boy reporter, his dog Snowy and blundering sidekick Captain Haddock making their first moon walk from their red and white rocket. With the 1954 book viewed as one of the artist Herge's masterpieces, the Paris auction house Artcurial values it at least 900,000 Euros ($950,000). The late Belgian artist already holds the world record for the sale of a comic strip. A double-page ink drawing that served as the inside cover for all the Tintin adventures published between 1937 and 1958, sold for $3.7 million to an American fan two years ago. Saturday's sales are expected to break records for single strips. Rival auction house Christie's is putting drawings from another rare Herge strip up for sale later in the day in Paris. It said the page from the unfinished story "Tintin and the Thermozero" -- estimated at 250,000 Euros -- was the first ever to come to market. Why the artist never finished the tale of espionage and a terrifying secret weapon set against the backdrop of the Cold War, is one of the great mysteries for Tintin-ologists. Herge wrestled with it for years, "starting it at the end of the 1950s", said Christie's, but never got further than eight pages. Drunk Captain Haddock Artcurial's comics expert Eric Leroy described the "Explorers on the Moon" as "a key moment in the history of comic book art... it has become mythic for many lovers and collectors of comic strips. "It is one of the most important from Herge's postwar period, on the same level as 'Tintin in Tibet' and 'The Castafiore Emerald'," he added. The story completes the lunar adventure started in "Destination Moon" (1953) and features several hilarious episodes including Haddock getting drunk on whisky and floating off into space to briefly become a satellite of the asteroid Adonis. It turns on Tintin foiling a plot by a mysterious foreign power to hijack the rocket by the evil stowaway spy Colonel Jorgen. The moon drawings are being sold alongside 20 ink sketches Herge created for a series of New Year's greeting cards known as his "snow cards". The cards are expected to go for between 60,000 and 120,000 euros each, Artcurial estimate. Prices for cartoon art have multiplied tenfold in the last decade, according to gallery owner Daniel Maghen, who also works with comic art. The sales comes as Tintinmania again grips the French capital, with Herge currently the subject of a huge retrospective exhibition at the Grand Palais. (AFP)

Sale of two original Tintin comic strips set to break records

tintin-comic

Tintin Comic, News on Tintin Comic, stories on Tintin Comic, articles on Tintin Comic, Tintin Comic stories at Wion, Tintin Comic news, Tintin Comic latest news