These prints are marked "HC" (instead of number) as they are the very last prints of this motif to be made!
Please note that these prints marked "HC" have the same value as the numbered prints. Some collectors prefer prints with numbers, others collect EA or HC because there are fewer of these (10 were made with the marking "HC").
Technically, Ahlberg is in full control, he paints narrowly and precisely to the smallest detail; Nevertheless, Tintin appears perfectly cartoonish and sincere awkward in the adult universe. Ahlberg simply melts two completely different values together without overconstructing it.
The Danish artist, Ole Ahlberg, was sued by Moulinsart (Tintin’s copyright holders), for using images of Tintin and the Thompson Twins in his art. They lost. This dates back to 2001, when the artist was opening a show of his art in Brussels with the wife of the Danish prime minister when Moulinsart’s lawyers demanded the offending images be removed. Ahlberg refused and the case went to court where the Judge found in the artists favour on the grounds that parody is allowable under Belgian and international copyright law.
Before the popular breakthrough, Ole Ahlberg was best known as (80er) surrealist, and as part of the art association "Pas Partout" he already made strong works at the time - and they were hard to get hold of. Today you have to think and act quickly if you want to own one of the new original works.