Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

As the owner of the gorgeously produced The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes) and The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set) box sets, I was excited to hear that Tintin would be getting the high end box set treatment as well. But when I actually saw the set in person, my enthusiasm evaporated. Like the Grinch's heart, this box set is 3 sizes too small. OK, to be fair, it's 20% too small -- that's the difference between the standard 11.5 X 8.5 inch size of the single books and the size of these volumes, which are only marginally bigger than the "3 in 1" Tintin reissues. The result of this is an attractive package which no doubt the serious Tintin collector will want to own, but for actual reading, it's an occasion for serious eye-strain. (Less bothersome is the politically correct omission of the controversial Tintin in the Congo; let's face it, even setting aside the cringe-inducing racism, the book is pretty dreadful in the story and art department.) Frankly, I'd rather spend more money replacing my paperback editions of the books with more durable hardcover editions than spending money on this pretty but useless edition.