The Secret of The Unicorn

The Secret of the Unicorn (French: Le Secret de la Licorne) is the eleventh of The Adventures of Tintin, the series of comic albums written and illustrated by Belgian artist Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as the hero. The first volume in a two-part story, the plot of The Secret of the Unicorn was continued in the twelfth Tintin adventure, Red Rackham's Treasure. The comic was serialised from 11 June 1942 through to 14 January 1943 in the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, before being published in book form later that year. Written in the midst of the Second World War, at a time when Belgium was occupied by Nazi Germany, The Secret of the Unicorn is the first book in the Adventures of Tintin to avoid political themes, instead focusing purely on an adventure story, and for this reason has been described as being the first book in Hergé's middle period. It is also known for being one of only two books in the series set entirely in Belgium.

The comic's plot revolves around young reporter Tintin, his dog Snowy, and his friend Captain Haddock, who discover a riddle left by Haddock's ancestor, the 17th century Sir Francis Haddock, which could lead them to the hidden treasure of the pirate Red Rackham. In order to unravel the riddle, Tintin and Haddock must obtain three identical models of Sir Francis' ship, the Unicorn, but discover that criminals are also after these model ships, and are willing to kill in order to obtain them.

Hergé heavily researched the background to his story, ensuring that the various ships, buildings, and other features illustrated in it were based upon real life counterparts. The Secret of the Unicorn would remain Hergé's favourite of his Tintin adventures until he wrote Tintin in Tibet (1960), which would replace it in his affections. The comic has been adapted into various other media, including a radio series (1992), two animated television series, Belvision's Hergé's Adventures of Tintin (1959-63) and Nelvana's The Adventures of Tintin (1991), and the performance-capture 3D film produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Steven Spielberg, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011).