Asterix

Asterix (Astérix le Gaulois)
Created by	René Goscinny Albert Uderzo
Publication information
Publisher	Dargaud, Éditions Albert René, Hachette for canonical volumes in French; others for non-canonical volumes (1976–1996) in French; Hodder, Hachette and others for non-canonical volumes (1976–1996) in English
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Title(s) Asterix the Gaul Asterix and the Golden Sickle Asterix and the Goths Asterix the Gladiator Asterix and the Banquet Asterix and Cleopatra Asterix and the Big Fight Asterix in Britain Asterix and the Normans Asterix the Legionary Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield Asterix at the Olympic Games Asterix and the Cauldron Asterix in Spain Asterix and the Roman Agent Asterix in Switzerland The Mansions of the Gods Asterix and the Laurel Wreath Asterix and the Soothsayer Asterix in Corsica Asterix and Caesar's Gift Asterix and the Great Crossing Obelix and Co. Asterix in Belgium Asterix and the Great Divide Asterix and the Black Gold Asterix and Son Asterix and the Magic Carpet Asterix and the Secret Weapon Asterix and Obelix All at Sea Asterix and the Actress Asterix and the Class Act Asterix and the Falling Sky Asterix and Obelix's Birthday: The Golden Book Asterix and the Picts Asterix and the Missing Scroll Asterix and the Chariot Race Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter Asterix and the Griffin
Formats	Original material for the series has been published as a strip in the comics anthology(s) Pilote.
Genre	Comedy Satire
Publication date	29 October 1959–present (original); 1969–present (English translation)
Creative team
Writer(s)	René Goscinny (1959–1977) Albert Uderzo (1980–2009) Jean-Yves Ferri (2013–present) Other authors for non-canonical volumes (1976–1996)
Artist(s)	Albert Uderzo (1959–2009) Didier Conrad (2013–present) Other illustrators for non-canonical volumes (1976–1996)
Translators	English: Anthea Bell, Derek Hockridge (1961–2013); Anthea Bell (2013–2016); Adriana Hunter (2017–present)

Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix (French: Astérix or Astérix le Gaulois [asteʁiks lə ɡolwa], "Asterix the Gaul") is a bande dessinée comic book series about a village of indominatable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight the Roman Republic, with the aid of a magic potion, during the era of Julius Caesar, in an ahistorical telling of the time after the Gallic Wars. The series first appeared in the Franco-Belgian comic magazine Pilote on 29 October 1959. It was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo until Goscinny's death in 1977. Uderzo then took over the writing until 2009, when he sold the rights to publishing company Hachette; he died in 2020. In 2013, a new team consisting of Jean-Yves Ferri (script) and Didier Conrad (artwork) took over. As of 2021, 39 volumes have been released, with the most recent released in October 2021. ⓘ

Asterix ⓘ
Original title	Astérix
Country	France
Author	René Goscinny (#1-24) Albert Uderzo (#25-34) Jean-Yves Ferri (#35-)
Draftsman	Albert Uderzo (#1-34) Didier Conrad (#35-)
Publisher	Dargaud Hachette Livre
Magazine	Pilote (1959-1974)
First publication	1961 – …
Issues	39

Mural of the main characters in Brussels ⓘ

The main characters are the title character Asterix, his friend Obelix and other inhabitants of a small village in Gaul of the time around 50 B.C. With the help of a magic potion of their druid Getafix, which gives superhuman strength, they resist the Roman conquerors. Their adventures take them throughout the ancient world and beyond. Thanks to a combination of subtle, satirical humor with crude humor, Asterix appeals to a broad readership of all ages and social classes. The comic series is one of the few used in schools, especially in foreign language classes for French, Latin and ancient Greek. ⓘ

The names "Asterix" and "Obelix" are derived from the typographic characters asterisk ('*', Greek ἀστερίσκος, asterískos = 'little star') and obeliscus ('†', Greek ὀβελίσκος, obeliskos = 'little spit'). ⓘ

Contents

According to the introduction, the stories are all set around the year 50 BC in Gaul, now France. The protagonists live in a small, fictional coastal village in Aremorica (modern-day Brittany) in northwestern Gaul near Condate (Rennes). Asterix and the other villagers are given superhuman strength by a magic potion brewed by the druid Getafix and, under its effect, are able to resist the Roman army that threatens the village from the four fortified camps of Little Bonum, Babaorum, Aquarium and Laudanum. Thus, the village remains the only place in Gaul that could not be conquered and occupied by the Romans under the leadership of Julius Caesar during the Gallic War. Shortly before, in 52 BC, the painful defeat of the Gauls under their leader Vercingetorix by Caesar occurred at Alesia, which became a taboo subject among the Gauls. ⓘ

Asterix, a warrior by profession, is characterized by a particular cuteness. With his small size and lanky figure, he represents, at least outwardly, an antithesis to the heroes usually found in the comic world. The contrast to him is formed by his fattest friend, the tall and strong, but sensitive and plain Obelix, Asterix's companion in all his adventures (in the first volume of the series, however, Obelix was still a minor character, appearing only sporadically; from the second volume on, he was indispensable as a "sidekick"). The two are usually accompanied by Obelix's little dog Dogmatix (first appearance in the 5th volume Tour de France), occasionally by other villagers, such as Chief Majestix, Druid Getafix or bard Troubadix. ⓘ

The stories take place, usually alternately, either in the immediate vicinity of the Gaulish village or on journeys to lands known to them at the time, and in more recent volumes, to lands unknown to them. The adventures set in the village mostly revolve around the always unsuccessful attempts of the Roman army to finally subjugate the village with ever new incursions; but occasionally Romans also try to use the village for their political ambitions. The stories in the village are triggered in particular by the appearance of strangers who cause the Gauls to become restless. In the other stories, Asterix and Obelix travel far away, often on behalf of Majestix or Getafix, where they are supposed to assist other threatened places, for example. ⓘ

Characters

In addition to Asterix, Obelix and his dog Dog Dogmatix, the village chief Majestix, the druid Getafix and the bard Troubadix are introduced as main characters in the opening credits of each album. Over time, other villagers have established themselves as permanent characters in the series, including Majestix's wife Gutemine, the blacksmith Automatix, the fishmonger Verleihnix and his wife Jellosubmarine, and the stone-aged Methusalix and his blood-young wife. The Gauls' recurring enemies include Julius Caesar and a band of pirates whose ship is regularly sunk. ⓘ

Setting

The Gallic village in top view (reduced model from the Roman Museum in Haltern am See) ⓘ

The Gallic village in a detailed top view ⓘ

Gallic village as seen from the entrance ⓘ

The fictional home village of Asterix has no name, it is simply called "little Gallic village", if at all. For the choice of location, Goscinny specified the proximity to the coast, since the Gauls would often travel by ship. Uderzo chose Brittany because he had spent time there during World War II and therefore knew the locale and the landscape. In the Asterix volumes, this coastal land is called Aremorica, as it was in Caesar's time. However, the location of the village was never specified by the authors, they did not have a specific place in mind when making the drawings. In the depicted views of the village, it is usually located near a cliff on a beach with offshore islands. It is crossed by a stream, single rocks near the shore are used by Obelix for the production of menhirs. Erquy in the Département Côtes-d'Armor is often mentioned as a possible place, but this contradicts some site plans of the village in the albums. From this and from the local conditions the place Le Moulin de la Rive in the Département Finistère west of Locquirec was named. An indication for the approximate localization of the place are the different map excerpts, which appear within the volumes in several places, so for example in volume XIV, P. 27. According to this the village must lie approximately between the places Saint-Pol-de-Léon and Plouescat, because from this coast section in said map excerpt the boat of Asterix leaves. In the film Asterix and the Vikings, the village is shown on the coast off Penvénan, also in the Côtes-d'Armor department, but far to the west of Erquy. ⓘ

The views of the village depicted in the stories are also inconsistent (number of houses, about 20, changes, they change position, etc.). However, the chief's hut decorated with trophies, the blacksmith's store, the fish store, the tree house, and the dovecote in front of the druid's hut are always depicted. Also, the agricultural areas of the village, which is completely surrounded by forests, are comparatively small, since the authors erroneously assumed that the Gauls lived primarily from hunting and not from agriculture. ⓘ

Features and interpretations

The Asterix stories nevertheless portray the world at the time of the Imperium Romanum with an accuracy that reveals appropriate preparation on the part of the authors. However, there are also a number of unintentional or accepted errors and anachronisms, e.g. the cityscape of Rome and the legionary armor date from a good 100 years later; moreover, the tunics of the legionaries were not green, but white for soldiers and red for centurions. Allusions to modern ideas or objects, on the other hand, are deliberately introduced as a humorous element. In addition, the stories live from the satirical exaggeration of common social clichés, especially in connection with gender roles, the generation conflict and the conflict between rural and urban population, province and (centralist) metropolis. Business practices, the behavior of office holders, military stupor, and other mostly modern problems are caricatured as well. In particular, the Romans are not meant to be a caricature of the Italians, but rather to represent the clash between the Latin and Gallic roots of today's French. Roman sense of order and bureaucracy is contrasted with a Gallic/French laissez-faire. At the same time, however, the Gauls use and enjoy the achievements of Roman culture, such as the road network and sometimes the bathing facilities. ⓘ

Anachronisms also play an important role in the encounters of Asterix and Obelix with representatives of other peoples, whose present-day specific peculiarities and respective cultures are parodied from the French point of view - at the same time as the clichés contained in this view. For example, the British take care of every blade of grass on their "English" lawn, cultivate an unusual food culture and drink their cup of hot water with milk punctually at 5 p.m. (tea leaves are only introduced as a cultural bringer by Asterix). The Goths (as an image of the Germans), whose speech bubble texts are in Fraktur script, appear as quarrelsome militarists with pickelhaube in steel helmet form, the Normans as fearless warriors who drink Calvados from skulls and prepare all food à la crème. With the Helvetians as ancestors of the Swiss, the Gauls encounter meticulously accurate clocks, ultra-cleanliness, safe deposit boxes and cheese fondue. ⓘ

Characteristic of the international cast of characters in the series are the endings of the (male) names, each of which indicates the ethnic affiliation. Thus "-ix" stands for all Gauls (derived from Vercingetorix and other contemporary Gallic chieftains, whose ending "-rix" in Celtic, however, means "king"; Belgians are also a Gaulish people according to Caesar's book On the Gallic War, although they placed great emphasis on their Germanic ancestry), "-ax" for Britons, "-ik" or "-ich" for Goths, "-af" for Normans, "-is" for Egyptians, "-us" for Romans, "-os" or "-as" for Greeks, "-ah" for Indians, while the names of the Picts all begin with "Mac". The names of Gallic women mostly end in "-ine" in the original French as well as in the German translation. Roman and Corsican women's names end in "-a". These endings are - as far as linguistically possible - also found in the translations of the albums. The names are regularly "speaking" names with allusions to peculiarities of the name bearer and puns, especially by including the characteristic endings (e.g. the Egyptian architect Numerobis in Asterix and Cleopatra, from French numéro to "number two", which alludes to his professional incompetence in the sense of "second-rate, second-class"). ⓘ

The original French version contains a large number of allusions, hardly recognizable to us today, to the political events of the day in France at the time the stories were written. Asterix was always considered a political satire, even if this did not correspond to the authors' self-image. The basic idea of the Asterix stories, the successful fight of David against Goliat, is occasionally interpreted to the effect that the indomitable village symbolizes the Résistance, while the Roman Empire stands for the German invaders. This is particularly clear in the Tour de France volume, in which "resistance groups" in the various towns help Asterix and Obelix, the Gauls who are being persecuted by the Romans. This aspect is also symbolically expressed in the story of the village rooster fighting the (imperial) eagle. Other interpretations impute Gaullist tendencies to the authors. Both authors, however, have always denied any political ulterior motive and emphasized that they only want to entertain. First and foremost, it is not the other peoples who are parodied, but the French prejudices about them. The entire life circumstances of the normal Frenchman are the target of the joke. Both authors have an immigrant background, and Goscinny himself has lived abroad for a long time; therefore, they are particularly aware of French peculiarities. ⓘ

Most of these jokes, and hence the names of the characters, are specific to the translation; for example, the druid named Getafix in English translation - "get a fix", referring to the character's role in dispensing the magic potion - is Panoramix in the original French and Miraculix in German. Even so, occasionally the wordplay has been preserved: Obelix's dog, known in the original French as Idéfix (from idée fixe, a "fixed idea" or obsession), is called Dogmatix in English, which not only renders the original meaning strikingly closely ("dogmatic") but in fact adds another layer of wordplay with the syllable "Dog-" at the beginning of the name. ⓘ

The name Asterix, French Astérix, comes from astérisque, meaning "asterisk", which is the typographical symbol * indicating a footnote, from the Greek word αστήρ (aster), meaning a "star". His name is usually left unchanged in translations, aside from accents and the use of local alphabets. For example, in Esperanto, Polish, Slovene, Latvian, and Turkish it is Asteriks (in Turkish he was first named Bücür meaning "shorty", but the name was then standardised). Two exceptions include Icelandic, in which he is known as Ástríkur ("Rich of love"), and Sinhala, where he is known as සූර පප්පා (Soora Pappa), which can be interpreted as "Hero". The name Obelix (Obélix) may refer to "obelisk", a stone column from ancient Egypt, but also to another typographical symbol, the obelisk or obelus (†). ⓘ

For explanations of some of the other names, see List of Asterix characters. ⓘ

Latin quotations

See also: List of Latin quotations in the Asterix comics ⓘ

Characters frequently use Latin quotations, most regularly the old pirate. These Latin quotations are not translated into footnotes in the French edition, unlike editions in other languages. ⓘ

Allusions to works of art

Evariste-Vital Luminais (1821-1896). Gothic paintings were very popular in France and are a possible model. ⓘ

• In Asterix with the Belgians, the penultimate page depicts the final banquet with the Belgians. This painting is in its entirety an allusion to the painting Peasant Wedding by Pieter Brueghel.
• Also in Asterix with the Belgians, a little boy named Mannekenpix appears with an urgent need - a caricature of the Manneken Pis in Brussels.
• In Asterix as a Legionnaire, after the obligatory shipwreck, the pirates form a tableau on a piece of wreckage that corresponds to the Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault. In the original French edition, the captain additionally says: " Je suis médusé " (German: "I am petrified").
• The poses assumed by one of the slaves offered by Tifus in The Laurels of Caesar are borrowed from famous ancient and modern sculptures: the Discus Thrower by Myron, Laocoon from the Laocoon Group (now in the Vatican Collections), and the Thinker by Rodin.
• In The Seer, The Anatomy of Dr. Tulp is caricatured by Rembrandt van Rijn reading a fish.
• In The Great Crossing, Asterix, in order to attract the attention of a passing ship, climbs a pedestal-like boulder on a small island off the coast. As he does so, he holds a parchment bundle in his left hand and a raised torch with his right. This composition alludes to the Statue of Liberty.
• In The Great Trench, the painting of the Sun King Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud is alluded to when the Gallic chief Grobianix uses the words "The village is me," which is an allusion to Louis' statement "The state is me."
• In Asterix & Obelix Celebrate Birthdays, the Gauls visit a museum that features caricatures of famous works by Leonardo da Vinci, Eugène Delacroix, Gustave Courbet, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Édouard Manet, Edvard Munch, Auguste Rodin and Jacques-Louis David. You can also find images in the comic that are reminiscent of album covers by the Beatles, Madness and by Michael Jackson.
• In Asterix and Cleopatra, there is an allusion to the broken nose of the Sphinx of Giza, which Obelix breaks off as he climbs up.
• In Asterix at the Olympic Games, the blacksmith Automatix has his portrait painted by a Greek artist. In the foreground is the Oedipus Painter's Bowl (c. 480 B.C.) depicting Oedipus in front of the enigma-singing Sphinx. In the next picture, the Gauls are standing in front of the statue of Athena Nike.
• in Asterix in Italy there is a woman looking out of a window, who looks like the Mona Lisa in her picture frame. ⓘ

Caricatures of famous personalities and allusions to other comic series

The authors often caricature well-known actors in their characters, and allusions or guest appearances of other comic series can also be found.

• In The Golden Sickle, a charioteer can be seen at the Le Mans race, reminiscent of the cartoonist Jean Graton, the creator of the comics around the racing driver Michel Vaillant. The prefect Gracchus Überdrus bears the features of the British-American actor and director Charles Laughton, who plays the people's tribune Sempronius Gracchus in the film Spartacus.
• In Asterix bei den Belgiern, the two detectives Schulze & Schultze from the comic series Tintin make a guest appearance. An allusion to Tintin himself is the hair quiff of the Belgian Mannekenpix in the album Asterix as a Legionnaire. Also, in the volume Asterix with the Belgians, the Belgian Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx is depicted to the caption "They send out messengers".
• In Asterix with the British, four singers appear who represent the Beatles (surrounded by hysterical female fans as an allusion to Beatlemania).
• In Asterix in Spain, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza make a guest appearance.
• The centurion Aerobus in the album Controversy for Asterix is a caricature of the Italian-French actor Lino Ventura.
• In Obelix GmbH & Co. KG two Roman legionaries appear, reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy. The character of Technokratus, who appears in the same volume, was created in reference to the then French Prime Minister and later President Jacques Chirac.
• The form-loving tax collector in Asterix and the Copper Cauldron (pp. 43/44) is a caricature of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who was French finance minister at the time the issue was published and later became president.
• In Gaul in Danger, Arnold Schwarzenegger appears several times as a fighting robot in a Superman costume (name: "Schworzi").
• In The Battle of the Chiefs, the Marsupilami is paraded in a fairground tent.
• In The Odyssey, a Gallic druid named Nullnullsix appears. This character is a reference to the well-known fictional British secret agent James Bond and a caricature of Bond actor Sean Connery. In the same volume, the Roman agent Musencus also appears, wearing the face of the French actor Bernard Blier, who played the secret service chief Milan in the film The Tall Blond Guy with the Black Shoe. Likewise, French actor Jean Gabin makes a guest appearance as the procurator "Pontius Penatus" of Judea.
• Uderzo also allowed a guest appearance to his own thatched-roof house decorated with tulips in The Seer.
• The green-skinned member of the pirates in The Odyssey and Asterix in the East is an allusion to the monster created by the scientist Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's novel and its cinematic incarnation by Boris Karloff, respectively.
• The scene in which the chieftain's son Greenix in The Great Ditch overcomes the ditch at night by means of a rope tied to a tree is reminiscent of the popular depiction of the figure of Tarzan swinging through the jungle on vines. A few panels earlier, the scene between Grunix and Grüblerine on the balcony alludes to the motif of the balcony scene between Romeo and Juliet (tragedy by William Shakespeare).
• In the German edition of Die Trabantenstadt, the play director is called Francocampus (in the original French: Guilus), which is obviously an allusion to Peter Frankenfeld (Latin campus 'field'). In the original, the French television presenter Guy Lux is caricatured.
• Several times Uderzo and Goscinny caricatured themselves. In Asterix at the Olympic Games, standing on a relief in front of a bull, Uderzo refers to Goscinny as ΤΥΡΑΝΝΟΣ (tyrant) and is called ΔΕΣΠΟΤΗΣ (despot) by the latter. In Asterix and the Copper Cauldron, in the front row of the theater in Condate, Uderzo is seen on the left talking to the prefect, and Goscinny is on the right entertaining a laughing group. In Obelix Ltd. KG, both drag a heavy drunken soldier (caricature by Pierre Tchernia) out of the camp. Goscinny alone makes an appearance in The Odyssey as merchant's assistant Saul Nizahle.
• Actor, screenwriter (including for four Asterix films) and director Pierre Tchernia makes guest appearances in several volumes: Asterix as Legionary, Asterix in Corsica, The Gift of Caesar, Obelix Ltd. KG and Asterix with the Belgians.
• In Asterix with the Swiss, Agrippus Virus, the influential governor of Condate, says he has his orgies staged by the great Fellinius. This refers to the Italian director Federico Fellini, who depicted the dissolute life of the ancient Roman upper class in the 1969 film Fellini's Satyricon. In the same volume, a young boy with an apple on his head is depicted in front of a target. This is an allusion to William Tell.
• Uderzo dedicated the volume Obelix on Cruise to, among others, the actor Kirk Douglas, whom he caricatures in this volume with the character Spartacis, alluding to his role in the movie Spartacus.
• In Battle of the Chieftains the cliché is played with that insane people thought they were Napoleon Bonaparte, a patient of the druid Amnesix is shown in the well-known pose ("Nobody knows what he thinks he is ...").
• In Asterix and Maestria, the Italian actor Aldo Maccione appears as a legionnaire of the Roman camp Aquarium.
• In Asterix in the Orient, the enemy guru Daisayah, in direct reference to his cousin Isnogud, mentions becoming Rajah in place of the Rajah. Isnogud is also a comic series originated by Goscinny and was mentioned in reverence to the Asterix creator, as it was the tenth anniversary of his death at the time of publication. The saying is based on the motto mentioned by Isnogud in every comic: I want to become caliph in place of the caliph.
• The pikeman Mac Aphon in Asterix among the Picts resembles the comic Indian Umpah-Pah, created by Uderzo and Goscinny in 1951.
• The evil clan chief Mac Abberh in Asterix at the Picts bears the features of French actor Vincent Cassel.
• The French singer Johnny Hallyday is caricatured in Asterix in the Picts as a Pictish bard who is beaten by Obelix because of his bad singing.
• The guests and the landlord of the "boatman's tavern" in the port of Massilia in Tour de France are taken from the films of Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles trilogy, classics of French film history. In the middle part of this trilogy, Fanny (1932), these guests stop a streetcar by playing petanque. Incidentally, the actor Raimu is portrayed not only here as a Marseilles innkeeper, but also already in The Golden Sickle and also appears in Asterix in Corsica as one of the invited guests from the earlier Asterix adventures for the celebration ("the Fête") of the anniversary of the Battle of Gergovia.
• The Asterix in Italy issue, published in October 2017, alludes to the Italian origins of Uderzo's parents' family, who, according to Ferri, are from Oderzo. The innkeeper in Parma is a caricature of Luciano Pavarotti, and the great Garum factory owner Croesus Lupus is reminiscent of Silvio Berlusconi.
• In The Daughter of Vercingetorix, a caricature of Charles Aznavour, who died in 2018, appears in the pirate crew. His expressions ("La Bohème", "Formidable", "No, I forgot none of it") are titles of his chansons. He also appears in the pirate crew in Asterix and the Griffin. ⓘ

Historical and literary allusions and quotations in the margins of the main plot

• The duel between Asterix and Keinentschlus in The Gift of Caesar (p. 31) alludes to Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac (1st/4th Cyrano-Valvert), and the "Z" in the Roman's tunic also alludes to Zorro.
• In Asterix and the Copper Cauldron (p. 41), the bankrupt banker says: "We have mergitur [note: low tide] and I don't know when we will be fluctuat [note: fluctuate] again." - "Fluctuat nec mergitur" (in the sense of "She may sway on the waves, but she will not sink") is the motto in the coat of arms of Paris, which was originally an island of being.
• When the builder Numerobis greets Getafix in Asterix and Cleopatra (p. 7) with the words "I am, my dear friend, very happy to see you," the druid turns to some villagers and tells them, "This is an Alexandrian," ambiguously referring on the one hand to the guest from Alexandria in Egypt, and on the other hand to the verse of his greeting.
• "2000 years look down on us from these pyramids, Obelix," says Getafix in Asterix and Cleopatra (p. 23). "Soldiers, be aware that forty centuries look down on you from these pyramids," said Napoleon Bonaparte before the Battle of the Pyramids on July 21, 1798 (in the original: " Soldats, songez que du haut de ces pyramides quarante siècles vous contemplent! ")
• Also in Asterix and Cleopatra (p. 26), Asterix and Obelix argue in Luxor over an obelisk. Asterix: "No, no, no! Obelix! Something like that in the middle of our village square? Simply ridiculous!" This very obelisk has stood on the Place de la Concorde in Paris since 1836.
• At the end of The Great Crossing (p. 47 below), Erik the Blond wonders whether or not he may be an explorer of the New World: "To be or not to be, that is the question here ..." - from the famous soliloquy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, in Shakespeare. Accordingly, Chief Ivar says, "There is something rotten in my state ..." (cf. Hamlet 1:4).
• "This gossamer scent of thyme and almonds, figs and chestnuts ..." (XX Osolemirnix) writes Napoleon Bonaparte in his memoirs about Corsica. - In Asterix in Corsica, before the final Corsican attack on Roman Aleria, Osolemirnix says (p. 38): "The old story of Austerlix: the sun does no harm to a Corsican!" In the Battle of the Three Emperors at Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, the Corsican Napoleon Bonaparte was victorious despite dense fog, which only gave way to the legendary "Sun of Austerlitz" after the battle. "This is the Sun of Austerlitz!" said Napoleon to his soldiers at the Moskva, by which he wanted to remind them of the victory of the Battle of the Three Emperors at Austerlitz.
• Several sayings of Roman officers in Asterix in the Belgians refer to the Battle of Waterloo: "By Jupiter, Legate Volfgangamadeus, I wish it were night and ours were coming!" ("I wish it were night, or the Prussians were coming." - Duke of Wellington) as well as "The Guard dies, but it does not surrender!" (attributed to General Cambronne)
• "My garden is smaller than Rome, but my pilum is more solid than your sternum!" (VIII British Lawn Friend) - "It [the boat] is smaller than my uncle's garden, but it is bigger than my nephew's helmet." (VIII Teefax) - From English class in France. French does not know a comparative. To increase an adjective, one must prefix " plus " or " moins ". Therefore, it is important for students to practice comparative forms. Accordingly, "My tailor is rich!" (VIII Teefax): Famous first sentence ("My tailor is rich") of Assimil's English language course.
• Asterix's saying "I tell you, THE DESERT IS ALIVE!" in The Odyssey alludes to the Walt Disney Studios documentary of the same name.
• As many as five allusions to older Asterix adventures can be found in a single image in Asterix with the Brits: In Asterix's hut (p. 9), a Roman helmet (Asterix the Gaul), a small sphinx (Asterix and Cleopatra), a gladiator's helmet (Asterix as Gladiator), a golden sickle (The Golden Sickle), and a Gothic pimple hat (Asterix and the Goths) lie on a wall shelf.
• Allusions to historical quotations and puns can also be found in other language versions. In the Italian edition, for example, the saying Sono Pazzi, Questi Romani (They are crazy, the Romans) is an allusion to S.P.Q.R., Senatus Populusque Romanus, the motto in Rome's coat of arms. ⓘ

Running Gags

Running gags play an important role in the typical humor of the series. Many events, mostly those that occur on the fringe, have been repeated in ever new contexts in almost every volume for decades. For those familiar with the series, they are an indispensable part of every episode; deviations from the usual sequence of events are often special punchlines. ⓘ

Some examples:

• The "silencing" of the bard Troubadix, especially at the traditional closing banquet, usually by the blacksmith Automatix.
• The comment of Obelix to all behavior incomprehensible to him: "They're crazy, the Romans!" (or: Britons, Greeks, Egyptians, etc.).
• The dispute of the blacksmith Automatix with the fishmonger Verleihnix about the freshness of his fish.
• The various falls of the chief Majestix from his shield, mostly blamed on the bearers.
• The attempts of Obelix, who fell into a pot of magic potion as a young boy, to have the potion administered again (which are never crowned with success, except in the volumes Asterix and Cleopatra and Obelix on a Crusade).
• Obelix's excessive appetite and his particular fondness for wild boar ("Two wild boars, please!" - "Two for me, too!") in all its variations except the (British) cooked preparation in peppermint sauce ("The poor pig.") and in cases of lovesickness (Falbala).
• The sensitive reactions of Obelix when he is called fat ("Who's fat here?", "I don't see any fat people here, do you, Asterix?", "There aren't two fat people here! At most one, and he's not fat!").
• The sudden outbreak of loud arguments between the friends Asterix and Obelix, in which they regularly address each other as "Mr. Asterix" and "Mr. Obelix" and in the 3rd person, only to make up again shortly afterwards.
• The destruction of doors of all kinds by Obelix when he only knocks.
• The sympathy of the little dog Idefix for trees, because of which he bursts into tears when they are cut down.
• The encounters of Asterix and Obelix with the pirate gang under Redbeard, whose ship and crew are almost always badly damaged; the only exceptions are in Asterix and the Copper Cauldron, Asterix in Spain, The Great Crossing, The Odyssey, Asterix and Latraviata and Asterix and the Griffin. Occasionally, the pirate ship also sinks as a result of being rammed by Roman warships (Asterix with the Britons; Asterix and Maestria), a clash with a Norman dragon boat (Asterix and the Normans), or a fierce internal dispute among the pirates (Controversy over Asterix), or it is sunk by the pirates themselves in a certain fatalism, thus forestalling the Gauls (Asterix and Cleopatra, Asterix at the Olympic Games, Asterix in the East). The characters of the pirates are borrowed from the comic series The Red Corsair. In eight volumes (Asterix the Gaul, The Battle of the Chiefs, The Golden Sickle, Asterix and the Goths, Asterix and the Arvernian Shield, Asterix with the Swiss, The Gift of Caesar and Asterix Chats from School), however, the pirates do not make an appearance, but are mentioned in two of these volumes.
• The old wise Latin quotes of the pirate Dreifuss, mostly after the sinking of the ship by the Gauls.
• During the fights with the Romans, there are regular scuffles, because everyone wants to get enough Romans to beat up; especially Obelix is particularly jealous (that's why in the volume Obelix GmbH & Co. KG. he even gets to beat up a whole garrison by himself on his birthday, while the others serenade him).
• There are regular allusions to Julius Caesar's later assassination in the comics and movies. Thus, in Asterix Conquers Rome, Caesar doesn't like Brutus playing around with a knife ⓘ

Comics and history

There are several points in the series that are not historically accurate. Among the most common are:

• Romans and Gauls can converse perfectly in the stories. In reality, however, most Romans at the time spoke Latin and only a few knew other languages. For this purpose, interpreters were often present during the campaigns.
• Wild boar is depicted as the basic food of the Gauls. However, the historical Gauls rarely ate wild boar, but mainly cattle or poultry, which they had bred themselves. In fact, the Romans ate wild boar much more often than the Gauls.
• In some volumes, potatoes are mentioned; for example, in Asterix with the Belgians, when the Belgian chieftain ponders whether potatoes could be fried. In fact, however, the potato was not introduced to Europe until after the discovery of America.
• Although the magic potion was invented for the comic, the Druids actually cut mistletoe with golden sickles; partly to sacrifice to the gods; partly to make medicine from.
• Obelix earns his living by chiseling and delivering menhirs. However, these were not chiseled by the Celts and it is still not known who ever did this and what purpose they actually served. Also, it was not until the invention of dynamite in the 19th century that there was any possibility at all to remove these heavy stones.
• Majestix and many other Gallic chiefs in the stories are often transported standing on a shield. However, this custom does not originate from the Celts, but from the Germanic tribes. The Franks, who introduced this custom west of the Rhine in the 4th century AD, honored the king in this way.
• The village of the indomitable Gauls corresponds only partially to the houses of the historical Gauls. While these really did have thatched roofs, the houses themselves were mostly built of wooden structures with mud walls.
• Asterix and Obelix often encounter a band of pirates during sea voyages. It is true that pirates were already sailing the seas in Caesar's time, since he himself encountered some and even went into battle against them. However, pirates certainly did not sail under black flags at that time, as they were not used until the 17th century.
• The Romans, mainly the Roman soldiers, are always depicted in the comics barefoot in their footwear, the caligae. Socks, however, were quite familiar to the ancient Romans and they used them during campaigns in colder environments.
• At the end of most of the stories, the bard Troubadix is tied to a tree. In reality, this would probably never have been dared with a bard, since they enjoyed a high rank. In some albums, this role is at least partially taken into account, since Troubadix, as village schoolmaster, enjoys a certain social rank. ⓘ

Accusation of racism

Although Goscinny is critical in his comics of the way the French treat their former colonies and criticizes injustices against immigrants, racist stereotypes can still be found throughout the Asterix volumes. This is most obvious in the lookout of the pirates who are regularly beaten up, which is a caricature of an African. Again and again, comic effects are achieved by his inability to pronounce the "R". This refers to the way immigrants from Francophone Africa and the Caribbean speak French with a rolled "R" instead of the uvular fricative common in continental French. ⓘ

In all Asterix albums, the characters are ethnicized: they appear not as individuals but as representatives of their respective ethnic groups, as which they are immediately recognizable by a specific suffix to their names. Visually, too, they are always stereotyped. Although Asterix creator and author René Goscinny is himself of Jewish descent, anti-Semitic elements have also been discovered in the comics. According to novelist André Stoll, Lügfix, the unsympathetic and deceitful title character in the volume The Seer, is drawn after the model of French anti-Semitic caricatures. His parasitic and nomadic lifestyle also echoes anti-Semitic stereotypes. The anti-Semitism researcher Léon Poliakov sees in the Asterix comics a trivialized form of the ideal of unimagined racial unity that characterizes the völkisch movement and National Socialism: The resistance of the small village is always directed against an alienation by the Romans, who are portrayed as decadent and whose culture they proudly refuse to adopt, at least in part. Journalist Richard Herzinger sees this narrative as the reason for the lasting success of the comics: "Because their message playfully awakens old longings that seemed to be buried in the deepest layers of the European collective consciousness. However, the Gauls' resistance to the Romans can just as easily be interpreted as anti-fascist or anti-imperialist (see above), as a parable for anti-colonial movements - the Gauls outside the village are, after all, actually ruled by the Romans - or simply as the resistance of minorities such as Bretons, Basques, and Corsicans to the central French government. ⓘ

History of the series

First story 1959

Asterix was invented specifically for the launch of the French youth magazine Pilote, first published in 1959 by Dargaud. Goscinny later became its editor-in-chief for many years; Uderzo became art director. The first page of the first story (Asterix the Gaul) was first published in the zero number of this magazine, and later in the official number 1 of October 29, 1959. The Asterix adventures were first published in Pilote in installments of one or two pages each, and (as a sign of success) were later commercially collected into comic albums. The original page-by-page publication characterizes the flow of the earlier stories: They end on each page with an exciting situation (a so-called cliffhanger) to encourage purchase of the next issue. ⓘ

Publication in album form, Goscinny's death and own publishing house

From 1974 on, Goscinny and Uderzo no longer published in Pilote; the first publication was usually directly in album form (initially still with Dargaud). After Goscinny's death in 1977, Uderzo was forced by Dargaud by court order to finish the album he had started, Asterix with the Belgians. After completing this story, he founded his own publishing house, Les Éditions Albert René, and continued the comic series on his own, now additionally as an author. ⓘ

Albert Uderzo's last albums

The quality of the drawings in the stories that have been created since then is considered to be as high as ever; however, many fans miss Goscinny's humor and storytelling skills. Regardless, each new Asterix volume continues to set a new circulation record; clever marketing probably plays a significant role in this: whereas in the past there were some advance releases, today the content of the stories is kept secret at great expense until the simultaneous launch in many countries. Since Asterix and Latraviata in 2001, Uderzo only drew the designs; the ink drawings came from the Franco-Moroccan brothers Frédéric and Thierry Mébarki. ⓘ

Albert Uderzo's succession

For years, Uderzo insisted that no more Asterix adventures would be published after his retirement. However, on December 12, 2008, he sold his 40% stake in Les Éditions Albert René to Hachette Livre, as did Goscinny's daughter Anne her 20%. The condition was that the series could continue without him. He agreed to this (to the displeasure of his own daughter Sylvie, who owned the remaining 40% of the company). In the run-up to the release of the anniversary volume in 2009, Uderzo announced that the Mébarki brothers would continue the series if he had to give it up for health reasons. Sylvie Uderzo and her husband initially litigated against this, but later complied and sold the rest of the publishing house to Hachette Livre on March 16, 2011. ⓘ

In mid-2011, Uderzo announced that the next volume in the series would be drawn by Frédéric Mébarki and written by Jean-Yves Ferri. In October 2012, the publisher Albert-René announced that the drawings would be taken over by Didier Conrad, as Mébarki had withdrawn from the task. Accordingly, Mébarki cited the burden of high expectations as the reason for his decision. ⓘ

The first volume of Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad Asterix in the Picts was published on October 24, 2013, and the volumes published thereafter were also worked on by the two together. ⓘ

List of volumes

To date, 39 Asterix volumes have been published, including 37 with an album-length story. The volumes were initially written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. After Goscinny's death while working on Asterix with the Belgians, Uderzo began writing the texts as well. In addition, there are short stories written over time, most of which were also published compiled in albums. ⓘ

The short stories currently released for reprinting are collected in the series of the various publishers as volume 32 Asterix chats from school. Some of these short stories were still written by René Goscinny. However, Albert Uderzo has stated that René Goscinny also let him create short stories on his own, which were published under both names. Published on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Asterix series, volume number 34 Asterix & Obelix Celebrate Their Birthday consists of independent new elements and some very old elements that have been editorially combined. ⓘ

Volumes 2 to 7 were published in Germany in a different order. The reason, according to some, was the great success of the movie Asterix and Cleopatra, following other previous publications of some of these volumes in German youth magazines (Lupo modern and MV Comix). They are reproduced here with the German numbers, but in the order of their original publications. When reading, it is advisable to keep to the original order, otherwise there will be some chronology errors (e.g. the meetings with the pirates and the appearance of Idefix). Also the translations into other languages were sometimes published in a different order. As an example, the table below also shows the order of the Latin translation, which, like the German one, is published by Ehapa. ⓘ

In addition to the stories in comic form, two illustrated stories were also written. The story Wie Obelix als kleines Kind in den Zaubertrank geplumpst ist was first published in 1965 and in this form so far only in France. In 1989 it was re-illustrated and published in album form, also in German. It was not, however, included in the numbered series of Asterix volumes, but is nevertheless permanently available as part of the publisher's current program. In 1966, the illustrated tale les voyages gaulois was published, in which Asterix reports on the ancient way of traveling in comparison to modern times. This tale was published in 2008 in the anniversary volume No. 34 integrated internationally. ⓘ

The Asterix volumes ⓘ

German edition			French edition			Latin edition
No.	Title	Year	No.	Title	Year	No.	Title
1	Asterix the Gaul	1968	1	Astérix le Gaulois	1961	1	Asterix Gallus
5	The golden sickle	1970	2	La Serpe d'or	1962	2	Falx Aurea
7	Asterix and the Goths	1970	3	Astérix et les Goths	1963	3	Asterix apud Gothos
3	Asterix as gladiator	1969	4	Astérix gladiateur	1964	4	Asterix gladiator
6	Tour of France	1970	5	Le Tour de Gaule d'Astérix	1965	5	Iter Gallicum
2	Asterix and Cleopatra	1968	6	Astérix et Cléopâtre	1965	6	Asterix and Cleopatra
4	The battle of the chiefs	1969	7	Le Combat des Chefs	1966	7	Certamen Principum
8	Asterix with the Britons	1971	8	Astérix chez les Bretons	1966	9	Asterix apud Britannos
9	Asterix and the Normans	1971	9	Astérix et les Normands	1966	11	Asterix et Normanni
10	Asterix as a legionnaire	1971	10	Astérix légionnaire	1967	13	Asterix legionary
11	Asterix and the Arverne shield	1972	11	Le Bouclier Arverne	1968	14	Clipeus Avernus
12	Asterix at the Olympic Games	1972	12	Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques	1968	15	Asterix Olympius
13	Asterix and the Copper Cauldron	1972	13	Astérix et le Chaudron	1969	16	Asterix atque Olla Cypria
14	Asterix in Spain	1973	14	Astérix en Hispanie	1969	17	Asterix in Hispania
15	Controversy about Asterix	1973	15	La Zizanie	1970	19	Tumultus de Asterige
16	Asterix with the Swiss	1973	16	Astérix chez les Helvètes	1970	23	Asterix apud Helvetios
17	The satellite town	1974	17	Le Domaine des Dieux	1971
18	The laurels of Caesar	1974	18	Les Lauriers de César	1972	24	Laurea Caesaris
19	The Seer	1975	19	Le Devin	1972
20	Asterix in Corsica	1975	20	Astérix en Corse	1973
21	The gift of Caesar	1976	21	Le Cadeau de César	1974
22	The great crossing	1976	22	La Grande Traversée	1975
23	Obelix Ltd & Co. KG	1978	23	Obélix et compagnie	1976
24	Asterix with the Belgians	1979	24	Astérix chez les Belges	1979
25	The great ditch	1980	25	Le Grand Fossé	1980	8	Fossa Alta
26	The Odyssey	1982	26	L'Odyssée d'Astérix	1981	10	Odyssea Asterigis
27	The son of Asterix	1983	27	Le Fils d'Astérix	1983	12	Filius Asterigis
28	Asterix in the Orient	1987	28	Astérix chez Rahàzade	1987	18	Asterix Orientalis
–	How Obélix fell into the magic potion as a little child	1989	–	Comment Obélix est tombé dans la marmite du druide quand il était petit	1989
29	Asterix and Maestria	1991	29	La rose et le glaive	1991	20	Asterix and Maestria
30	Obelix on a cruise	1996	30	La galère d'Obélix	1996	21	Navis Actuaria Obeligis
31	Asterix and Latraviata	2001	31	Astérix et Latraviata	2001	22	Asterix et Latraviata
32	Asterix chats from school	2003	32	Astérix et la rentrée gauloise	2003
33	Gaul in danger	2005	33	Le ciel lui tombe sur la tête	2005	25	Caelum in caput ejus cadit
34	Asterix & Obelix celebrate their birthday	2009	34	L'anniversaire d'Astérix et Obélix - Le livre d'or	2009
35	Asterix with the Picts	2013	35	Astérix chez les Pictes	2013
36	The papyrus of Caesar	2015	36	Le Papyrus de César	2015	26	Papyrus Caesaris
37	Asterix in Italy	2017	37	Astérix et la Transitalique	2017
38	The daughter of Vercingetorix	2019	38	La Fille de Vercingétorix	2019
–	The Golden Menhir	2020	–	Le Menhir d'Or	2020
39	Asterix and the Griffin	2021	39	Astérix et le Griffon	2021

Short stories

Short stories in comic format

Over the years, in addition to the albums, various short stories were created. ⓘ

Asterix chats from school

The following stories were reprinted in the 2003 album Asterix Chats from School (the last story, ABC Protector Obelix, was not added until a 2006 reprint):

• The Birth of an Idea:
  (1962, 1 page) Uderzo and Goscinny cause a stir when they emphatically develop ideas for an Asterix story in a bistro.
• Obelisc'h:
  (1963, 5 pages) Uderzo and Goscinny meet a descendant of Obelix. The additional ten pictures that originally appeared with this were never published here or elsewhere.
• Gallic Spring:
  (1966, 2 pages) Asterix, Obelix, and Getafix help the "Gallic Spring," personified by a little man, break through.
• Gallic beginning of school:
  (1966, 2 pages) Asterix and Obelix gather the village children back for school after the vacations.
• New Year under the mistletoe:
  (1967, 2 pages) Obelix, in keeping with tradition, tries to get a kiss from Falbala under the mistletoe.
• The Mascot:
  (1968, 8 pocket pages, later redrawn to 4 album pages) Dogmatix is kidnapped by a Roman legionnaire as a mascot.
• Suggestions for improvement:
  (1969, 3 pages) The criticism of the style of Asterix, which was already manifold at the time, is parodied by alternative elaborations in the form of underground comics or the hippie style.
• Mini, Midi, Maxi:
  (1971, 2 pages) Satire of fashion follies - originally published in Elle magazine.
• Latinomania:
  (1973, 1 page) Satire on the ill-considered use of foreign words.
• In 50 BC:
  (1977, 3½ pages) Presentation of the Gallic world or brief introduction to the series - originally published in National Geographic Magazine to familiarize Americans with Asterix.
• Olympiad in Lutetia:
  (1986, 4 pages) Asterix and Obelix help Lutetia become an Olympic city - originally published in Jours de France magazine.
• 35 Years Before Julius Caesar:
  (1994, 4 pages) This tells the birth of Asterix and Obelix.
• Kokolorix - the Gallic Rooster:
  (2003, 5 pages) With the help of Idefix, the Gallic rooster triumphs over the eagle, the symbol of Rome.
• ABC-Shooter Obelix:
  (2004, cover and three additional pages in Lire magazine) Did not appear in German until 2006 in the third edition of Asterix Chats from School. Obelix receives a letter from Falbala and tries to read it with the help of a textbook from Getafix. ⓘ

Other

The following Asterix short stories did not appear in this special volume:

• (Nameless Story):
  (1977, 6 strips) Study trip of Asterix and Obelix to the Gothic menhir production, which are rectangular, instead of oval, as in Obelix. Created for Stern magazine, issue 2/77, the story was reprinted in the eighth volume of the Complete Edition. The reprint in the complete edition is reduced in size, black and white, and includes the article accompanying the story in Stern.
• 12 Trials for Asterix:
  (1977, 27 pages) 12 Trials for Asterix is a comic book version of the film Asterix Conquers Rome (1975). The comic was drawn by Uderzo's brother Marcel and has not been released for further reprints. The only German publication was in Comixene magazine, issues 24-29.
• The Antique Dealers:
  (1985, 4 pages) The story was not released by Uderzo for further reprints, as the drawings here were also by Marcel Uderzo. Only German publication in the special Gallic Tales volume. ⓘ

There were also pre-announcements in Pilote prior to the first printing of the stories, the following of which have the character of a short story themselves:

• Press Conference/Announcement for The Battle of the Chiefs:
  (1964, 1 page) Appeared in German in the Complete Edition as well as the album Asterix Chats from School, in the latter case without title.
• Talk show/announcement for Asterix at the British:
  (1965, 1 page) Published in the complete edition.
• Announcement for Asterix and the Arvern Shield:
  (1967, 1 page) Published in the German Complete Edition untranslated in French.
• Announcement for Asterix with the Swiss:
  (1970, 1 page) Published in the complete edition. ⓘ

Other short stories about Asterix are known, but they are - probably authorized - by other illustrators and lyricists. They were created only for a one-time publication. ⓘ

In addition, Asterix appeared in some crossovers in Pilote magazine, which were rarely or never published again. Characters from the comic series were also used for single gag illustrations in Pilote magazine, e.g. Obelix wore the sign with issue number and the date on the cover for a while, often providing funny scenes in his awkwardness. ⓘ

Short stories in small book series

In 1973, Pestalozzi-Verlag published a total of twelve Asterix books as a small-book series of 16 pages each, combining individual comic scenes with narrative text. The stories are mainly based on the main volumes, from which most of the comic scenes were also taken. This small book series is highly sought after today, especially by collectors. ⓘ

1. Asterix the Gaul (adapted, much shortened version of the original album)
2. Asterix at the Olympic Games (adapted, much shortened version of the original album)
3. Asterix and Obelix (opening scenes from "Asterix as Legionary")
4. Asterix and the Romans (adapted, much shortened version of "Asterix with the Goths")
5. Asterix argues with Obelix
6. Asterix and Getafix
7. Asterix, Obelix and the fish
8. Asterix and Majestix
9. Asterix and the Copper Cauldron (adapted, much shortened version of the original album)
10. Asterix needs money (adapted, much shortened version of "Asterix and the Copper Cauldron")
11. Asterix always knows what to do
12. Asterix in Spain (adapted, much shortened version of the original album) ⓘ

Small book series Asterix conquers Rome

In 1976, Pestalozzi Verlag also published the multi-part book series Asterix Conquers Rome, based on the animated film of the same name. The books each have 20 pages in 19 × 17 centimeter format and contain the various tasks from the animated film under the title "Heroic deeds." In addition, each book contains a coloring picture on the title theme. ⓘ

Adventure game volumes "Alea jacta est

In 1988-1989, the Ehapa publishing house published four so-called adventure game volumes. These challenge the reader - who assumes the role of the character Justforkix from the album Asterix and the Normans - to determine the progress of the plot himself: One must decide on which pages to continue reading. The volumes are structured in the form of an alternation of mini-texts and various pictures from albums published to date. The following titles have been published:

1. The Summit Meeting (Le rendez-vous du chef).
2. The bright bard (La vedette armoricaine)
3. The menhir forgers (L'affaire des faux menhirs)
4. The great game (Le grand jeu) ⓘ

Cooking and baking books

• In 1993, Egmont Comic Collection published the hardcover edition Kochspaß mit Asterix with the subtitle Essen wie Gott in Gallien (ISBN 3-7704-0453-X). The 61-page hardcover edition describes the preparation of nine simple dishes from the world of the comic characters. The recipes are by Marie-Christine Crabos.
• In 1994, Egmont Comic Collection published the hardcover edition Backspaß mit Asterix, subtitled Naschen wie Gott in Gallien (Snacking like God in Gaul), with 27 cake and pastry recipes by Marie-Christine Crabos (ISBN 3-7704-0454-8). On 61 pages, illustrated instructions describe the preparation process and show the finished product. The well-known characters from the Asterix comics provide explanations and comments. ⓘ

Encyclopedias

Three authorized encyclopedias on Asterix have been published in German:

• In 1986 by Horizont-Verlag Das große Asterix-Lexikon.
• In 1990, Ehapa published a two-volume work that supplemented the first encyclopedia with two stories.
• On the occasion of 40 years of Asterix in 1999, Egmont Ehapa published The Big Asterix Encyclopedia. ⓘ

Translations

The various volumes have been translated into more than 100 languages and dialects. Besides the original French language, most albums are available in Bengali, Estonian, English, Czech, Dutch, German, Galician, Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Catalan, Basque, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Turkish, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Latvian, Welsh, as well as Latin. ⓘ

Selected albums have also been translated into languages such as Esperanto, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Indonesian, Persian, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Bengali, Afrikaans, Arabic, Hindi, Hebrew, Frisian, Romansch, Vietnamese, Sinhala, Ancient Greek, and Luxembourgish. ⓘ

In Europe, several volumes were translated into a variety of regional languages and dialects, such as Alsatian, Breton, Chtimi (Picard), and Corsican in France; Bavarian, Swabian, and Low German in Germany; and Savo, Karelia, Rauma, and Helsinki slang dialects in Finland. Also, in Portugal, a special edition of the first volume, Asterix the Gaul, was translated into local language Mirandese. In Greece, a number of volumes have appeared in the Cretan Greek, Cypriot Greek, and Pontic Greek dialects. In the Italian version, while the Gauls speak standard Italian, the legionaries speak in the Romanesque dialect. In the former Yugoslavia, the "Forum" publishing house translated Corsican text in Asterix in Corsica into the Montenegrin dialect of Serbo-Croatian (today called Montenegrin). ⓘ

In the Netherlands, several volumes were translated into West Frisian, a Germanic language spoken in the province of Friesland; into Limburgish, a regional language spoken not only in Dutch Limburg but also in Belgian Limburg and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; and into Tweants, a dialect in the region of Twente in the eastern province of Overijssel. Hungarian-language books have been published in Yugoslavia for the Hungarian minority living in Serbia. Although not translated into a fully autonomous dialect, the books differ slightly from the language of the books issued in Hungary. In Sri Lanka, the cartoon series was adapted into Sinhala as Sura Pappa. ⓘ

Most volumes have been translated into Latin and Ancient Greek, with accompanying teachers' guides, as a way of teaching these ancient languages. ⓘ

As of October 2013, over a total of 350 million Asterix volumes have been printed worldwide, with by far the greatest success in France with 130 million volumes and in Germany with 120 million volumes. ⓘ

German version by Rolf Kauka

Rolf Kauka was the first to obtain the rights to publish the adventures of Asterix, already known in France and Belgium, in German-speaking countries. In Kauka's version, Asterix and Obelix became Siggi and Babarras, the druid became Konradin (after Konrad Adenauer), and the chieftain Abraracourcix became Mark Hein. The Gallic village was named "Bonnhalla" (Bonn/Walhalla) and was located on the right bank of the Rhine. The menhir of Obelix remained such (menhir stone, little stone), the designation Hinkelstein has only existed since the Ehapa adaptations from 1967. The stories were set in the time of Julius Caesar, as in the original, but the translations nevertheless contained many political allusions to the Federal Republic of the 1960s, as well as to the GDR. The Roman occupiers, speaking with an American inflection, corresponded to the Allied occupiers of the immediate postwar period. The Roman Empire, alluding to NATO, became "Natolia." ⓘ

Rolf Kauka was personally responsible for these adaptations. He accommodated the anti-Semitic prejudice of a rampant Jew (in Die goldene Sichel) as well as anti-democratic allusions. The bard Troubadix, for example, was renamed "Parlamet," a portmanteau of parliament and the alcoholic drink mead. He reinterpreted the menhir or menhir stone as the "guilt complex" and thus as a right-wing metaphor for coming to terms with the Holocaust. Already after printing the first story, in this case The Golden Sickle, Kauka received a warning from Goscinny and Uderzo, transmitted by Georges Dargaud. Undeterred, he published Asterix as Gladiator (under the title Battle for Rome, borrowed from a popular novel of the time) and Asterix and the Goths (as Siggi and the Ostrogoths) in the same way. Dargaud then terminated the license agreement for breach of contract, and Kauka sued, but lost in two instances. Despite the verdict and the withdrawal of the license with immediate effect, Rolf Kauka went on to publish the original first Asterix album as Siggi, the Indestructible, the artwork for which had been supplied to him in advance. ⓘ

Starting in 1967, Kauka published his own comic series, strongly based on Asterix, under the title Fritze Blitz und Dunnerkiel, which he renamed Siggi und Babarras a year later. It was not a success, however, and was discontinued in 1969 after only a few episodes. ⓘ

With regard to Kauka's Germanization, author Thomas Bleicher speaks of "a rather dark chapter in German comic history." The reporter Roland Mietz, who died in 2011, said that Kauka's Asterix adaptation should be seen as the main reason for its generally poor reputation in feuilleton and cultural criticism, and drew parallels to Axel Springer's image. Uderzo described the experience as a "terrible story" even decades later. He long felt persecuted by Kauka, who "came to France and claimed we were ruining him." ⓘ

German translation by Ehapa Verlag.

The next German licensee was, and still is, the Stuttgart-based Ehapa Verlag, which pre-published Asterix in MV-Comix from 1967 to 1977 and has published it in album form since 1968, although initially no emphasis was placed on chronological order. Gudrun Penndorf was responsible for the German translation of the volumes up to volume 29, then Adolf Kabatek, Michael F. Walz and Klaus Jöken. As the newspaper Die Welt noted, Penndorf had "contributed to the German success of Asterix and to the enrichment of the German language [...] at least as much as the legendary Erika Fuchs did for Donald Duck. It's just that Penndorf's achievement has not yet been nearly as widely appreciated." ⓘ

The translations into the respective dialects are done by local experts. The Latin translation is by Karl-Heinz Graf von Rothenburg ("Rubricastellanus"; Latin red, lord of a castle). The German translation in recent volumes, especially in volume 31 Asterix and Latraviata, has been criticized for deviating too much from the largely timeless character of the original by referring to short-lived German appearances. ⓘ

To the obligatory Latin proverbs and quotations of the series, the phrase delirant isti Romani: "They're crazy, the Romans" was added for the translation into Latin. In the Italian edition, a pun lent itself to Obelix's saying, which in the original is " Ils sont fous, ces Romains ": "Sono Pazzi Questi Romani", or S.P.Q.R. for short. ⓘ

List of speaking names of the minor characters

Typical of the Asterix comics are speaking names for many minor characters, which change from language to language. Here are some examples:

Character	German	French	Portuguese	British	american	italian	spanish	dutch	Swedish	Finnish	greek ⓘ
wife of the chief	Goodmine	Bonemine	Naftalina	Impedimenta	Belladona	Beniamina	Carabella	Bellefleur	Bonemine	Smirgeline	Μπονεμίνα [Bonemína] (Μιμίνα) [(Mimína)]
Dog of Obelix	Idefix	Idéfix	Idéiafix	Dogmatix	Dogmatix	Idefix	Ideafix	Idefix	Idefix	Idefix	Ιντεφίξ [Idefíx]
Chief	Majestix	Abraracourcix	Matasetix or Abracourcix	Vitalstatistix	Macroeconomix	Abraracourcix	Abraracúrcix	Abraracourcix	Majestix	Aladobix	Μαζεστίξ [Majestix] (Μοναρχίξ) [(Monarchíx; earlier editions)]
Greis	Methusalix	Agecanonix	Decanonix or Veteranix	Geriatrix	Arthritix	Matusalemmix	Edadepiédrix	Nestorix	Senilix	Senilix	Μαθουσαλίξ [Methusalíx] (Παλαιοντολογίξ) [(Palaeontologíx; earlier editions)]
Druid	Getafix	Panoramix	Panoramix	Getafix	Magigimmix	Panoramix	Panorámix	Panoramix	Getafix	Akvavitix	Πανοραμίξ [Panoramíx]
Bard	Troubadix	Assurancetourix	Cacofonix or Chatotorix	Cacofonix	Malacoustix	Assurancetourix	Asurancetúrix	Assurancetourix	Troubadix	Trubadurix	Κακοφονίξ (Kakofoníx)
Fishmonger	Verleihnix	Ordralfabétix	Ordemalfabetix or Orderalfabetix	Unhygienix	Epidemix	Ordinalfabetix	Ordralfabetix	Kostunrix	Crabbofix	Amaryllix	Αλφαβητίξ [Alphavitíx] (Καταλφαβητίξ) [(Katalphavitíx; earlier editions)]
Fishmonger's wife	Jellosubmarine	Iélosubmarine	–	Bacteria	–	Ielosubmarine	Yelosubmarine	Forentientje	fru Crabbofix	Jelousubmarine	Γελοουσαμπμαρίνα [Jellousubmarína]
Blacksmith	Automatix	Cétautomatix	Éautomatix or Automatix	Fulliautomatix	–	Automatix	Esautomátix	Hoefnix	Smidefix	Caravellix	Αυτοματίξ [Automatíx]
Swarm of Obelix	Falbala	Falbala	Falbala	Panacea	–	Falbalà	Falbalá	Valhalla	Lillfixa(n)	Mimosa	–

Adaptations and plagiarisms

From 1972 to 1975, Bastei-Verlag published the German comic series Jupiter, whose authors had very obviously used Asterix. ⓘ

While otherwise corresponding projects regularly did not receive permission from the French rights holders, a 16-page special volume was published in 1984 with their official permission for the 2000th anniversary of the city of Neuss with the title Asterix in Novaesium. This special volume was published by the press and public relations office of the city of Neuss. Using images from 17 different existing volumes and adding new balloon texts (including Roman legionnaires now speaking Neuss dialect), it gives the story of the founding of the city of Neuss in 16 BC. ⓘ

A larger number of Asterix plagiarisms exist, most of which originate from the protest movements of the 1980s. In these illegally traded booklets, pictures from various original editions were assembled into new stories and, where necessary, new text was added. For example, in Asterix and the Nuclear Power Plant (of which there are at least eight versions that differ in details), Julius Caesar wants to build a Brutus Rapidus in place of the Gallic village. Other plagiarisms include: Asterix in the cottage village (theme: "Runway West"), Asterix in a bombing mood (theme: retrofitting), Asterix's Grass Spell (in which the Romans believe they will become invincible by consuming marijuana and thus have an answer to the Gauls' magic potion, which turns out to be a fallacy), Tumult in Grazium (local politics from Graz) and Asterix against the Right. Such motivated plagiarisms also exist for other comic series (Häuserkampf in Entenhausen, Der Sympathisantenschlumpf, etc.). ⓘ

Another plagiarism from 1983, which is even attributed to the Ehapa publishing house in the imprint, bears the title Gallas - Skandal auf der Chewing-Ranch. It tells the "story of a rich Gallic family clan" and parodies the TV series Dallas with the help of the villagers. ⓘ

In 1988, the Asterix parody "Die Lösung von Kringelixen" by Haggi (Hartmut Klotzbücher) appeared in issue 2 of the German comic magazine Rammbock. In terms of content, the story parodies the conflict between the Gauls and Uderzo's lawyers. A lawsuit filed by the latter put an end to Rammbock magazine after three issues. ⓘ

To mark the anniversary of Asterix in 1989, Saga-Verlag Munich published an album of satirical cartoons by well-known German cartoonists and comic artists: Die hysterischen Abenteuer von Isterix (The Hysterical Adventures of Isterix) was based on the album Les invraisemblables aventures d'Istérix (with contributions by French cartoonists), published a year earlier in France. Although this release was intended as an homage, the artists involved had to deal with Uderzo's lawyers. ⓘ

Also in 1989, Saga published an album-length persiflage entitled Falsches Spiel mit Alcolix, created by Berlin cartoonist and illustrator Jens Jeddeloh, which was also distributed in France by the same publisher under the title Alcolix: La vraie parodie. In addition to the Gauls and characters from several other comic series, Tintin also make a lengthy appearance in a separate "movie" sequence. The legal dispute resulting from Alcolix, which was decided in favor of Uderzo, led in 1993/94 to a landmark ruling (vulgo Alcolix decision) by the German Federal Court of Justice on the boundaries of intellectual property law between parody, persiflage and plagiarism that had an impact beyond the German-French-speaking area. ⓘ

With Franziska Becker's comic Feminax & Walkürax, a feminist adaptation of the topic was published in 1992 by Emma magazine. This is the only known case in which an adaptation created without prior permission was tolerated. ⓘ

On the occasion of the first live-action film adaptation Asterix and Obelix against Caesar in 1999, the 9th issue of the German MAD magazine, revived by Dino Verlag in 1998, published the film parody Arschterix and Popelix. ⓘ

Before the 2005 German federal elections, the 44-page PDF file Asterix und der Kampf ums Kanzleramt (Asterix and the Battle for the Chancellery) circulated on the Internet, also using (now computer-assisted) image montage and altered text. With Majestix as Schrödix (Gerhard Schröder), Maestria as Angela Merktnix (Angela Merkel), Greulix (from Der große Graben) as Guidefix (Guido Westerwelle), Miraculix as Münteferix (Franz Müntefering), Stellartoix (from Asterix bei den Belgiern) as Läuftfortwienix (Oskar Lafontaine) and Grobianix (also appearing in Der Grosse Graben) as Bavarix (Edmund Stoiber), the story satirizes important players in the election campaign and creates a rather grotesque story with numerous allusions to current federal and world politics at the time. In supporting roles: Julius Caesar as American President Dabblejus (George W. Bush), the down-and-out legionnaire Keinentschlus from The Gift of Caesar as right-wing Nationalix, and the gurus Shandadh and Daisayah from Asterix in the Orient as Islamist terrorists. ⓘ

Tributes

Three authorized collections of homages/persifs in album form do not fall into the realm of Asterix plagiarism: For the 35th anniversary of the Gaul, the special volume Journal exceptionnel d'Astérix (Engl: Asterix - Was für ein Fest!, Ehapa 1995) was published in 1994, about one third of which consisted of Asterix homages by various cartoonists in the form of cartoons or shorter comic episodes. This was followed in 1996 by Uderzo croqué par ses amis (Eng: Uderzo drawn by his friends, Ehapa 1997), a full tribute album, this time caricaturing the co-creator of Asterix with his characters. Another album of this style is Astérix et ses amis, which was released in France in April 2007 in time for Uderzo's 80th birthday and came out in Germany belatedly in October 2007 as Asterix und seine Freunde - Hommage an Albert Uderzo by Ehapa. Google displayed a specially designed Google logo on October 29, 2009 to mark the 50th anniversary. ⓘ

The first French satellite launched in 1965 was named after Asterix and in 1991 Asterix appeared on the cover of Time magazine. The asteroid (29401) Asterix was named after Asterix. ⓘ

Other minor Asterix tributes have appeared as brief visual quotations in other cartoonists' comic series:

• An Asterix mask in a carnival bustle (Tintin: Tintin and the Picaros).
• Asterix and Obelix on posters on the editorial wall (Gaston)
• Asterix on poster at newsagent (Spirou and Fantasio: Pacifiers and Cyclostrums)
• A doctor with the face of Getafix (Little Spirou)
• Banquet (Lucky Luke: The Daltons in the noose)
• A spaceship sinks the ship of the pirates from Asterix in Le bandard fou (1974) by Mœbius
• Arthur and Merlin allude to the Troubadix/Automatix quarrel (Uncle Scrooge: The Journey into the 6th Century by Don Rosa)
• In Mosaic, there are more than a dozen allusions to the Asterix comics over the years ⓘ

In the Super Nintendo game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, there is an enemy named "Xilebo," reverse for "Obelix." This one also wears the identifying feature of blue and white striped pants and is also fat. ⓘ

With a first day of issue of September 1, 2015, Deutsche Post AG issued a souvenir sheet Asterix with three wet-adhesive special stamps - twice 62 euro cents (postage for standard domestic letters with the motifs Asterix and Obelix) and once 21 euro cents (motif Idefix) - with a total value of 1.45 euros (postage for large domestic letters). The design was by Les Éditions Albert René / Goscinny-Uderzo, and the souvenir sheet was designed by Thomas Steinacker. In addition, an Asterix stamp set was issued with ten self-adhesive special stamps at 62 euro cents each (with the same motifs for Asterix and Obelix). ⓘ

Radio plays

Three German radio play series exist so far:

• From 1975 to 1979, the first 14 volumes (until Obelix GmbH & Co. KG) were produced as a radio play series on audio cassette for the Telefunken/DECCA/Tom & Della Club label. The narrators were professional actors and opera singers. Asterix was voiced by Joachim Wolff and Obelix by Alexander Welbat.
• From 1986 to 1992, the first 29 volumes (until Asterix and Maestria) were produced as a series of radio plays on audio cassette for the EUROPA label, directed by Heikedine Körting. The voice actors were Hans Clarin (Asterix), Günter Pfitzmann (Obelix), Wolfgang Völz (Majestix), Eric Vaessen (Getafix), and the narrator was Wolfgang Draeger.
• Since 2004 Karussell has been publishing a newly produced CD audio play series based on the Asterix volumes, which is not identical with the old EUROPA series; narrators are Peter Heinrich (Asterix), Douglas Welbat, the son of Alexander Welbat, who voiced Obelix from 1975 to 1979 (Obelix), narrator is Wolf Frass. ⓘ

Video games

Since the 1980s, numerous video game adaptations of Asterix have been developed. The games appeared on different platforms such as the Amiga, Commodore 64, consoles from Nintendo, SEGA, Sony, Microsoft or for the home computer under Microsoft Windows. One example is Asterix & Obelix XXL. ⓘ

In addition, Deutsche Telekom announced a browser game about Asterix and Obelix in 2013, developed by the Austrian company Sproing. In July 2013, the Asterix & Friends game entered the open beta phase. In March 2016, the company entered into a partnership with Bandai Namco, who managed the game from then on, and also released the game as an app. This was followed on March 1, 2020 by the acquisition by Hamburg-based game developer and publisher gameXcite GmbH, which initiated the redevelopment of the game in the Unity Engine due to the discontinuation of Adobe Flash announced by Adobe and dated for the end of the same year. ⓘ

Scientific literature

There are a number of scientific studies on Asterix, especially on the historical context, linguistic studies on the role of comics in the development of the genre and on the problems of translating humorous texts, those that work with language games and those that are culture-specific, or for the translation of comics into the medium of film. ⓘ

However, Asterix is also the subject of not entirely serious investigations, which are often intended to convey a different message. For example, in Acta Neurochirurgica (vol. 153, p. 1351), Marcel Kamp (Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany) and collaborators investigated the cases of craniocerebral trauma caused by brute force in the Asterix albums. A total of 704 cases were counted in all 34 Asterix volumes over a period of more than 50 years, although no permanent damage was left in any Roman. The conclusion of the study was that a large number of such injuries could have been avoided if the Roman legionaries, like modern people, had made more consistent use of the possibility of fastening the helmet under the chin with a strap. Because in 90% of the cases the Romans lost the helmet before the injury. ⓘ

The analysis of the Asterix volumes for case studies of chemical production is also only half-serious. Leuchs et al. (DECHEMA Research Institute and LTT of RWTH Aachen University) analyzed the volumes in terms of analogies to the modern chemical industry in Chemical Engineering Technology. The topics dealt with in this respect are highly topical, including the raw material base, carbon dioxide sequestration, consultants and loss of knowledge. ⓘ

Filmography

Animated cartoons and computer-animated films

• 1967: Asterix the Gaul
• 1968: Asterix and Cleopatra
• 1976: Asterix conquers Rome
• 1985: Asterix - Victory over Caesar
• 1986: Asterix with the British
• 1989: Asterix - Operation Menhir
• 1994: Asterix in America
• 2006: Asterix and the Vikings
• 2014: Asterix in the Land of the Gods (first computer-animated film in the series)
• 2018: Asterix and the secret of the potion (second computer animated film of the series) ⓘ

Live-action films

• 1999: Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar with Christian Clavier, Gérard Depardieu, Gottfried John, Roberto Benigni, Laetitia Casta
• 2002: Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra with Christian Clavier, Gérard Depardieu, Alain Chabat, Monica Bellucci
• 2008: Asterix at the Olympic Games with Clovis Cornillac, Gérard Depardieu, Alain Delon
• 2012: Asterix & Obelix - On a mission from Her Majesty with Édouard Baer, Gérard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini, Catherine Deneuve ⓘ

Legal

"Asterix" and "Obelix" are registered trademarks of the Parisian publisher Les Éditions Albert René, which has already asserted the rights arising from the trademark on several occasions. For example, the owner of the brand name "MobiliX" (for "Mobiles Unix") was sued for alleged confusion with "Obelix". After the publisher won this lawsuit at the Munich Higher Regional Court, the trademark owner of "MobiliX" unsuccessfully filed a non-admission appeal with the Federal Court of Justice. A similar lawsuit against the cell phone name "Mobilix" from Orange S.A., on the other hand, failed before the European Court of Justice. A Berlin recording studio called Masterix also had to give up its name after a legal appeal. ⓘ

In the mid-1980s, the lawyer Günter Freiherr von Gravenreuth pursued Asterix plagiarism, in which unlicensed drawings from Asterix volumes were provided with new texts in the speech bubbles in order to protest, for example, in a satirical way against nuclear power (Asterix und das Atomkraftwerk), against rearmament (Asterix in Bombenstimmung) or against the west runway of Frankfurt Airport (Asterix im Hüttendorf). Thus, exchange ads of comic collectors were searched and requests for these comics were written to alternative bookstores. Suppliers of these booklets received warnings. Gravenreuth also filed a criminal complaint on behalf of his client against the organizer of the Cologne Comic Swap Day, because a participant in this event offered corresponding booklets. In addition, Gravenreuth ensured that these issues have no longer been listed with collector's value in the comic price catalog since 1985. ⓘ

Colloquial language

In contemporary colloquial language, "Gaul" or a "Gaulish village" often denote persons, institutions, or places that resist, or at least evade, a cause or development that is imposed from without or that is customary in other settings. The phrase that appears in the opening credits of the volumes, "All of Gaul? No!", which also has a high recognition value, is occasionally used - when Gaul is replaced by Germany - to draw attention in an ironic way to exceptions to a widely believed fact in Germany. ⓘ

Parc Astérix

Parc Astérix is an amusement park opened in 1989 in the municipality of Plailly, 30 kilometers north of Paris, to which a hotel complex is attached. Dedicated to the world of the comic hero Asterix, this theme park ranks fourth among the most visited amusement parks in France, with about 1.8 million visitors. ⓘ

Documentary

• Potion Asterix. (OT: La Potion Astérix.) Documentary, France, 2013, 54:30 min, Written and directed by Pascal Forneri, Production: Cinétévé, arte France, BnF, First broadcast: January 19, 2014 on arte, Synopsis by arte. ⓘ

Humour

The humour encountered in the Asterix comics often centers around puns, caricatures, and tongue-in-cheek stereotypes of contemporary European nations and French regions. Much of the humour in the initial Asterix books was French-specific, which delayed the translation of the books into other languages for fear of losing the jokes and the spirit of the story. Some translations have actually added local humour: In the Italian translation, the Roman legionaries are made to speak in 20th-century Roman dialect, and Obelix's famous Ils sont fous ces Romains ("These Romans are crazy") is translated properly as Sono pazzi questi romani, humorously alluding to the Roman abbreviation SPQR. In another example: Hiccups are written onomatopoeically in French as hips, but in English as "hic", allowing Roman legionaries in more than one of the English translations to decline their hiccups absurdly in Latin (hic, haec, hoc). The newer albums share a more universal humour, both written and visual. ⓘ

English translation

Before Asterix became famous, translations of some strips were published in British comics including Valiant, Ranger, and Look & Learn, under names Little Fred and Big Ed and Beric the Bold, set in Roman-occupied Britain. These were included in an exhibition on Goscinny's life and career, and Asterix, in London's Jewish Museum in 2018. ⓘ

In 1970 William Morrow published English translations in hardback of three Asterix albums for the American market. These were Asterix the Gaul, Asterix and Cleopatra and Asterix the Legionary. Lawrence Hughes in a letter to The New York Times stated, "Sales were modest, with the third title selling half the number of the first. I was publisher at the time, and Bill Cosby tried to buy film and television rights. When that fell through, we gave up the series." ⓘ

The first 33 Asterix albums were translated into English by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge (including the three volumes reprinted by William Morrow), who were widely praised for maintaining the spirit and humour of the original French versions. Hockridge died in 2013, so Bell translated books 34 to 36 by herself, before retiring in 2016 for health reasons. She died in 2018. Adriana Hunter is the present translator. ⓘ

US publisher Papercutz in December 2019 announced it would begin publishing "all-new more American translations" of the Asterix books, starting on 19 May 2020. The launch was postponed to 15 July 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new translator is Joe Johnson (Dr. Edward Joseph Johnson), a Professor of French and Spanish at Clayton State University. ⓘ

Adaptations

Television series

On 17 November, 2018, a 52 eleven-minute episode computer-animated series centred around Dogmatix was announced to be in production by Studio 58 and Futurikon for broadcast on France Télévisions in 2020. On 21 December, 2020, it was confirmed that Dogmatix and the Indomitables had been pushed back to fall 2021, with o2o Studio producing the animation. The show is distributed globally by LS Distribution. The series premiered on the Okoo streaming service on 2 July before beginning its linear broadcast on France 4 on 28 August 2021. ⓘ

The official Netflix announcement poster ⓘ

On 3 March, 2021, it was announced that Asterix the Gaul is to star in a new Netflix animated series directed by Alain Chabat. The series will be adapted from one of the classic volumes, Asterix and the Big Fight, where the Romans, after being constantly embarrassed by Asterix and his village cohorts, organize a brawl between rival Gaulish chiefs and try to fix the result by kidnapping a druid along with his much-needed magic potion. The series will debut in 2023. The series will be CG-Animated. ⓘ

See also

• List of Asterix characters
• Bande dessinée
• English translations of Asterix
• List of Asterix games
• List of Asterix volumes
• Kajko i Kokosz
• Potion
• Roman Gaul, after Julius Caesar's conquest of 58–51 BC that consisted of five provinces
• Commentarii de Bello Gallico ⓘ

Sources

• Astérix publications in Pilote BDoubliées (in French)
• Astérix albums Bedetheque (in French) ⓘ

Relevant literature

• Tosina Fernández, Luis J. “Creatividad paremiológica en las traducciones al castellano de Astérix”. Proverbium vol. 38, 2021, pp. 361-376. Proverbiium PDF
• Tosina Fernández, Luis J. “Paremiological Creativity and Visual Representation of Proverbs: An Analysis of the Use of Proverbs in the Adventures of Asterix the Gaul”. Proceedings of the Fourteenth Interdisciplinary Colloquium on Proverbs, 2nd to 8th November 2020, at Tavira, Portugal, edited by Rui J.B. Soares and Outi Lauhakangas, Tavira: Tipografia Tavirense, 2021, pp. 256-277. ⓘ