| Thomson and Thompson | |
|---|---|
 Thomson (left) and Thompson (right), from The Secret of the Unicorn, by Hergé, with slightly different moustaches | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Casterman (Belgium) |
| First appearance | Cigars of the Pharaoh (1934) The Adventures of Tintin |
| Created by | Hergé |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Thomson and Thompson |
| Partnerships | List of main characters |
| Supporting character of | Tintin |
Thomson and Thompson (French: Dupont et Dupond [dypɔ̃ e dypɔ̃])[1] are fictional characters in The Adventures of Tintin, the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. They are two detectives who provide much of the comic relief throughout the series. Hergé twice calls them "brothers" in the original French-language text. They are afflicted with chronic spoonerisms, are extremely clumsy, thoroughly clueless, frequently arresting the wrong person (usually someone important). In spite of this, they somehow are entrusted with delicate missions.
The detective with the flat, drooping walrus moustache is Thompson and introduces himself as "Thompson, with a 'P', as in psychology" (or any such word in which the "P" is silent), while the detective with the flared, pointed moustache is Thomson, who often introduces himself as "Thomson, without a 'P', as in Venezuela."
Often, when one says something, the other adds "To be precise" (Je dirais même plus), but then repeats what the first said, only twisted around.[2][3]
Thomson and Thompson usually wear bowler hats and carry walking sticks, except when abroad: during these missions they insist on wearing the stereotypical costume of the country they are visiting, hoping to blend into the local population, but instead manage to dress in folkloric attire that actually makes them stand out.
The detectives were in part based on Hergé's father and uncle, identical twins who wore matching bowler hats while carrying matching walking sticks.[4]
- ^ Peeters 2012, p. 341, "Character Names in French and English".
- ^ Apostolidès, Jean-Marie (2010). The Metamorphoses of Tintin, Or, Tintin for Adults. Stanford University Press. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-8047-6030-0.
When Thomson tacks on his famous "to be precise", most of the time he doesn't add anything but simply repeats what the other just said.
- ^ "At the Grand Palais in Paris: Hergé, the Genius who Invented Tintin". Bonjour Paris. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ Assouline, Pierre (4 November 2009). Hergé: The Man Who Created Tintin. USA: Oxford University Press. pp. 42–43. ISBN 9780195397598. Retrieved 6 January 2013.