I may not be the right person to tell you this, because my knowledge of the stuff you're asking about is limited. But I
do know
this much...
Comic strips and Comic books are the same medium, yes. But they are NOT the same.
This thread is about comic strips... what some people call "the funnies". Ya know, the stuff in newspapers, like: Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Family Circus, etc.
What
you're asking about is something else entirely... strips that are more... story-like and bound together. (not to mention longer) Examples: Superman, The Flash, Batman, Spiderman, Fantastic Four. (so it might be better to ask your questions in your own Marvel SF
)
It's kinda like the difference between School House Rock and Bill Nye: the Science Guy. (both fun and educational, but one was like a sort of commerical or song in length. and the other was a full 26 minute program) Make sense?
As for "graphic novels", to
my understanding they are basically comic books... just not
called comic books.
(and some of them seem to be anthology type things)
If you like, you can check out more about the three types on wiki:
comic stripscomic booksgraphic novels(those don't even include webcomics and gag cartoons. And then there is also the fact that some people call comedians "comics". yeah, it gets a bit confusing
)
As for Tintin, ask our resident expert on the character/stories,
Warrior 4 Jesus.
p.s. Sorry if this came off as at all harsh. That's not my intention. (I'm having a rough afternoon, and it might be seeping into this conversation a bit.
)
But we we will be getting the paper back as of next Thrusday. 
