London, Aug. 18: A bawdy version of one of Tintin’s most famous tales, which suggested that the intrepid reporter was a voracious womaniser, has been withdrawn.

The Pink Lotus, written by a Spanish author, Antonio Altarriba, depicts the youthful Belgian as a dissolute tabloid journalist in his 30s undergoing a mid-life crisis. It charts his many affairs and contains graphic scenes, including another man having sex with a woman.

Based on The Blue Lotus, the book was published last year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Georges Remi, who wrote the rather more wholesome Tintin books under the pen name of Hergé.