Tintin (character) making it in his role of explorer. Clearly unencumbered with financial preoccupations, after "Red Rackham's Treasure" he is ensconced as a permanent house guest in the stately Marlinspike Hall with retired mariner Captain Haddock and the scientist Professor Calculus. Tintin occupies all of his time with his friends, exploring the bottom of the sea, the tops of the mountains, and the surface of the Moon (sixteen years before astronaut Neil Armstrong). Through it all, Tintin finds himself cast in the role of international social crusader, sticking up for the underdog and looking after those less fortunate than himself. From the
The Secret of the Unicorn story was adapted for the 1957 Belvision animated series, "Hergé's Adventures of Tintin", for the 1991 animated series "The Adventures of Tintin" by Ellipse and Nelvana, and for the feature film "" (2011), directed by Steven Spielberg. While browsing on the Brussels Voddenmarkt/"Marché aux puces" at the Vossenplein in the Marollen, Tintin purchases an antique model ship which he intends to give Captain Haddock. Two strangers, model ship collector Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine and antique-scout Barnaby, independently try to persuade Tintin to sell the model to them. He also sees the two police detectives, Thomson and Thompson, on the look out