Beloved comic character Tintin enters US public domain with certain limitations
The iconic comic strip character Tintin, created by Belgian artist Hergé, has entered the public domain in the United States as of 1 January, 2025. This marks the expiration of copyrights on the character’s original 1929 depiction in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets. However, the public domain status applies exclusively to this black-and-white version of Tintin and his dog, Snowy.
“In recent years, we’ve seen fascinating characters such as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh enter the public domain,” noted Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke University’s Centre for the Study of the Public Domain. “In 2025, the copyrights of even more versions of Mickey Mouse and the first versions of Popeye and Tintin will end.”
US and EU copyright laws
Under US copyright law, works enter the public domain 95 years after their first publication. This year’s additions include Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and Alfred Hitchcock’s first sound film, Blackmail. Musical works like Ravel’s Bolero and the original version of Singin’ in the Rain have also lost their copyright protection.
Despite this milestone, Tintin remains under copyright in Europe, where laws protect works for 70 years after the creator's death. As Hergé passed away in 1983, Tintin’s European copyrights will not expire until 2054.
Even within the US, restrictions apply. Only the earliest version of Tintin, with his rounded head, plumper figure and no signature blonde hair or brown trousers, is free to use. Later iterations remain protected.
The move opens creative opportunities for reinterpretation. Comic book expert Patrick Van Gompel predicts academic research, digital adaptations and niche advertising could emerge. "There could be an increase in academic and cultural research... Tintin may become more popular in the US because of this measure,” he said.
The release of older works into the public domain has provided inspiration for new projects. “The public domain is not just a loss of protection; it’s a way to keep beloved characters alive, offering new opportunities for creativity," Jenkins stated.
The American study centre also mentions the painting La trahison des images by the Belgian artist René Magritte. That is the well-known image of a pipe with the caption "Ceci n'est pas une pipe". However, the centre is still investigating the exact date of the first publication (according to the definition of copyright law) in order to officially declare the work free of copyright in the US.
© PHOTO SYLVESTRE/MAXPPP
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