SHANGHAI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Belgian comics series "The Adventures of Tintin," opened its first flagship theme shop in Shanghai this week after the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Located in central Shanghai, the shop sells more than 1,000 products surrounding the iconic figure in over 50 categories.

Even though the shop is still in its trial operation, Tintin fans spread the news through social networks and swarmed into the shop over the weekend.

"I've loved Tintin ever since I first read it as a kid, and I really admire his colorful life traveling around the world," said Zhang Huiying, a Tintin fan in Shanghai. "I bought some ornaments and postcards. Tintin has accompanied me for many years, and I wish his readers would love him as always."

"Tintin fans bought up all the limited-edition sculptures of Tintin with a suitcase with Shanghai and his dog Snowy printed on it," said Philippe Wang, a representative of China of Moulinsart, intellectual property owner of "The Adventures of Tintin."

"People are coming from Beijing and Hangzhou in groups this weekend just to visit our shop," said Wang.

To meet more customer demands, Wang said an official online Tintin shop will open soon, and a Tintin exhibition in China is in preparation.

In 1934, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, known by his pen name Herge and as "the father of Tintin," met with Zhang Chongren, then a Shanghai architectural student in Belgium, to create his story "The Blue Lotus," which took place in the metropolis.

The character "Chang Chong-Chen" was based on Zhang and is the only character with a real-world origin in "The Adventures of Tintin."