Tintin the Explorer on the Moon Drawing Breaks Auction Price Record in Paris

Who doesn't love Tintin the Explorer, right? The fictional wandering character managed to break a world record in Paris when the "Explorers on the Moon" drawing was sold for 1.5 million Euros ($1.59 million).

The 1954 drawing shows Tintin with Snowy, his famous dog in spacesuits accompanied by Captain Haddock. The setting was apparently off-Earth. It is a representation of Tintin and his crew on the moon. Interestingly, the trio was depicted to have traveled to the moon aboard a colorful red and white rocket. It was part of Tintin adventures, a series of drawing depicting Tintin traveling around the world, who, apparently, also did travel in space..

Originally, the officials were expecting the drawing to sell during the auction at around $741,00 and $952,000 according to a report. But it has surpassed the expectation and was sold at 1.5 million Euros or almost double the price.

The drawing is split into different settings in a comic strip made by a cartoonist George Prosper Remi also known by the name Hergé. The Belgian artist now holds the world record of for the highest auction sale of a comic strip. The drawing is part of the earliest collection of Tintin adventures drawing.

The auction took place at the artcurial auction house in Paris. The striking price commanded by the drawing is not too surprising, though, since a series of comic strips of Tintin were sold for about 2.6 million Euros a few years ago.

'Explorers on the Moon', as the drawing is more popularly known was published before mankind was able to set foot on the moon. 15 years ahead of the historic event to be exact.

Officials and the public were surprised and happy with the turnout and find it as "a key moment in the history of comic-book art... it has become mythic for many lovers and collectors of comic strips", Eric Leroy, a comics expert from Articurial Paris said in an interview.

The buyer, who was not identified, is a European enthusiast and collector during Tintin's exhibition in Paris. Tintin is undeniably one of the most popular comics series to have been made.