What do you notice about how Hergé structures his stories?
It's pretty funny. Initially, Hergé attempted to submit The Adventures of TinTin, as "Films on paper". This speaks volumes to the structure of his comics. I picture it as a cross between film reels and the modern-day storyboarding structure for animated features. They tell the story but only through a few key moments in each "scene". It's more commonly compared to a children's picture book, and I can understand that point of view as well. The bright colors and high saturation are very eye-catching. On top of that, the style is unique and easily recognizable to its readers.
Its variety of settings for each story was unique to comics at the time. Hergé writes The Adventures of TinTin as travel adventures. Hergé himself was a traveler, apparently small countries like Belgium make great globetrotters. TinTin's profession lines up with his decision to move about so often. He's a reporter during a time when journalism was widespread.
Does he use gags as the basic unit around which he builds his story structure like Barks does?
I grew up reading The Adventures of TinTin, and I think it has a good balance of serious storyline and occasional comedy. Among the more frequently seen side characters are a pair of incompetent detectives, the twins Thomson and Thompson, who are the definition of "bubbling". They take their job very seriously, but more often than not they're left trailing behind TinTin as he chases down lead after lead. Not to mention they're both rather clumsy. Even their appearance contributes to their behavior. They dress identically, their staple features are their bowler hats and walking sticks, but the only discernible features are the shape of their mustaches. It's believed that Hergé based the detective's appearance on his father and uncle, identical twins who wore matching bowler hats while carrying matching walking sticks. However, the twins aren't the only source of comic relief in The Adventures of TinTin (Albit they are almost always involved or even the cause), there's the occasional slapstick. The characters running into each other in hallways, someone turning off the lights and the antagonists attack one another, Snowy prioritizing bones over whatever TinTin asks of him, etc.
Another example of comic relief can be found at the beginning of The Blue Lotus when a man warning TinTin of danger is afflicted by the poison of madness. It's a serious moment, TinTin encounters a Chinese fellow, the fellow is hit with a poison dart, and after he manages to tell TinTin that he is needed in Shanghai, the poison takes effect and the fellow is on his hands and knees barking with Snowy. It goes from a serious and tense moment to silly on a dime, it sticks to the comedy for a bit before returning to the main story. There are brief intervals of little shenanigans in all of Hergé's comics, it alleviates the building tension by adding in even a sliver of silliness. Something that probably happens every day stuck in the middle of a serious moment. Hergé balances these moments well. It may look random at first glance, but it's part of what makes Hergé's comics so unique.
