He did that with Tintin, but America didn't get it for some reason.
I think it's because the heroic archetype Tintin represents (the pure-hearted, incorruptible do-gooder) has gone out of fashion, at least in that part of the world. Nowadays it's all about handsome psychopaths (HANNIBAL, DEXTER), morally compromised protagonists (GAME OF THRONES), shades of gray (THE WIRE), profanity (BREAKING BAD) and nihilistic gore (THE WALKING DEAD).
I'll take Herge over George R.R. Martin any day.