Vol 714 pour Sydney (Flight 714 to Sydney) by Hergé is the penultimate completed Tintin adventure, a sci-fi-infused thriller that pits Tintin, Captain Haddock, and a hilariously exasperated Professor Calculus against the megalomaniacal billionaire Laszlo Carreidas and a band of rogue mercenaries led by the sinister Rastapopoulos. The story takes a surreal turn when their hijacked plane lands on a Pacific island, where an enigmatic extraterrestrial intervenes in the climax—marking Hergé’s boldest foray into the paranormal.
Known for its biting satire of corporate greed (Carreidas is a spoof of Howard Hughes) and psychedelic visuals (the alien sequence nods to ’60s UFO fascination), this album divides fans but showcases Hergé’s willingness to push his iconic ligne claire style into uncharted territory.
