Destination Moon

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Tintin and his friends plan the first trip to the Moon - Rated
"Destination Moon" ("Objectif Lune," 1953) gives a detailed account on the preparation and the launching of the expedition to the Moon from the Sprodj Atomic Research Center in Syldavaia using the rocket designed by Professor Calculus. However, be forewarned that this is the first half of the tale, which is continued in "Explorers on the Moon." So do not let the cliffhanger ending to this volume throw you for a loop. Just make a point of picking up both halves of the story and you can avoid any sleepless nights worrying about Tintin and his friends.

"Destination Moon" is really the set up, for which "Explorers on the Moon" is the payoff. What is most impressive is the attention to detail that Herge shows in these books, in terms of both the technical preparation for a trip to the moon and the actual trip. There is some intrigue, with agents from Klow trying to thwart the mission, but the main thing here is the preparation for the epic journey. These two volumes stack up well against any 1950s science fiction movie about traveling to the moon and anticipate a lot of what we would read about and see when Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon in 1969. Together these volumes constitute Tintin's greatest adventure (how can you top being the first man on the moon?).

a classic. - Rated
I first read this in the late 'fifties, and I still like it a lot. Good, solid atmosphere, and when the Professor gets furious I hold my breath. The testing of the dog helmet is also a classic bit. The book ends in a suitable cliffhanger (space-hanger?) and is highly recommended.