Tintin 'to be sued for racism'

Tintin is in trouble! The young Belgian reporter, whose stories of adventures always feature slapstick humour and sophisticated satire, will soon be sued in France for "racism".

Yes, a Congolese accountant is to launch a lawsuit in France against Tintin for racism, accusing judges in the comic hero's native Belgium of trying to bury his case to protect a "national symbol", The Daily Telegraph reported.

Forty one-year-old Bienvenu Mbutu Mondondo is taking legal action claiming Belgian artiste Herg's controversial 'Tintin In The Congo' is propaganda for colonialism and amounts to "racism and xenophobia".

"Tintin's little (black) helper is seen as stupid and without qualities. It makes people think that blacks have not evolved," he was quoted by British newspaper as saying.

In fact, Mondondo launched a case in Belgium two years ago for symbolic damages of just an Euro from Tintin's Belgian publishers Moulinsart, and demanded the book be withdrawn from the market.