By René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo, translated by Adriana Hunter (Sphere)
ISBN: 978-1-40873-494-0 (PB), ?978-1-40873-492-6 (Digital edition)
This book includes Discriminatory Content included for comedic effect.
The most upsetting thing about major comics creators and storytellers in general is that when they die the magic stops and there’s nothing new to enjoy. That’s why we all celebrate when something undiscovered or simply long-forgotten turns up…
Asterix the Gaul is probably France’s greatest literary export. The feisty, wily little warrior who fought the iniquities and viewed the myriad wonders of Julius Caesar’s Roman Empire with brains, bravery and (whenever necessary) a magic potion imbuing the imbiber with incredible strength, speed and vitality, is the go-to reference all we non-Gallic gallants resort to when we think of France.
The wily, wee, warrior wonder was created in 1959 by two of our artform’s greatest masters, with his first official appearance being on October 29th in Pilote #1. In actuality, he had already debuted in a pre-release teaser – or “pilot” – weeks earlier.
René Goscinny was arguably the most prolific – and remains one of the most read – writers of comic strips the world has ever known. Born in Paris in 1926, he grew up in Argentina where his father taught mathematics. From an early age René showed artistic promise. He studied fine arts and graduated in 1942. Three years later, while René worked as junior illustrator for an ad agency, his uncle invited him to stay in America, where the lad ultimately found gainful employment as a translator. After National Service in France, Goscinny returned to the US, settling in Brooklyn to pursue an artistic career. In 1948 he was an assistant in a small studio which included Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder, Jack Davis & John Severin, as well as visiting European giants-in-waiting Joseph Gillain (Jijé) and Maurice de Bévère (Morris) with whom Goscinny would produce 46 volumes of Lucky Luke between 1955-1977.
Goscinny also met Georges Troisfontaines, head of World Press Agency, the company providing comics for Le Journal de Spirou. After contributing scripts to Belles Histoires de l’Oncle Paul and Jerry Spring, Goscinny was promoted to head of World Press’ Paris office. Here he met his ultimate creative collaborator Albert Uderzo. In his spare time (!), René also created Sylvie and Alain et Christine with Martial Durand (“Martial”) and Fanfan et Polo, drawn by Dino Attanasio. Also in 1955, Goscinny, Uderzo, Charlier & Jean Hébrad formed independent syndicate Édifrance/Édipresse, to create magazines for business and general industry; such as Clairon for the factory union and Pistolin for a chocolate factory.
With Uderzo, René spawned Bill Blanchart, Pistolet and Benjamin et Benjamine, whilst illustrating his own scripts for Le Capitaine Bibobu. Under nom-de-plume Agostini, René wrote Le Petit Nicholas (drawn by Jean-Jacques Sempé), and in 1956 began a productive association with revolutionary periodical Le Journal de Tintin, writing for various artists including Attanasio (Signor Spagetti); Bob De Moor (Monsieur Tric); Maréchal (Prudence Petitpas); Berck (Strapontin); Globule le Martien and Alphonse with Tibet; as well as Modeste et Pompon for André Franquin. With Uderzo he crafted the fabulously funny adventures of inimitable Indian brave Oumpah-Pah. Goscinny also wrote for magazines Paris-Flirt and Vaillant.
In 1959, Édifrance/Édipresse launched Pilote and René went into overdrive. The first issue featured re-launched versions of Le Petit Nicolas, Jehan Pistolet/Jehan Soupolet, original serials Jacquot le Mousse and Tromblon et Bottaclou (drawn by Godard), plus a little something called Astérix le gaulois: incontrovertibly the greatest achievement of his epic partnership with Uderzo.
When Georges Dargaud bought Pilote in 1960, Goscinny became Editor-in-Chief, still making time to add new series Les Divagations de Monsieur Sait-Tout (with Martial); La Potachologie Illustré (Cabu); Les Dingodossiers (Gotlib) and La Forêt de Chênebeau (Mic Delinx). He also wrote frequently for television, but never stopped creating strips like Les Aventures du Calife Haroun el Poussah (for Record and illustrated by Swedish artist Jean Tabary). A minor success, it was re-tooled as Iznogoud when it transferred to Pilote. And he was writing Lucky Luke too remember, utterly owing comics from East to west…
Goscinny died far too young in November 1977.
Alberto Aleandro Uderzo was born on April 25th 1927, in Fismes on the Marne. A child of Italian immigrants, as a boy he showed artistic flair from an early age and devoured Mickey Mouse strips in Le Pétit Parisien. Alberto became a French citizen at age seven and dreamed of being an aircraft mechanic, but at 13 was apprenticed to the Paris Publishing Society, learning design, typography, calligraphy and photo retouching. When WWII came, he spent time with farming relatives in Brittany, and joined his father’s furniture-making business. Brittany beguiled Uderzo: when a location for Asterix’s idyllic village was being decided upon, the region was the only choice.
In France’s post-war rebuilding, Uderzo returned to Paris to become a successful illustrator in the country’s burgeoning comics industry. His first published work – a pastiche of Aesop’s Fables – appeared in Junior and, in 1945, he was introduced to industry giant Edmond- Françoise Calvo (The Beast is Dead). Uderzo’s subsequent efforts included indomitable eccentric Clopinard, Belloy, l’Invulnérable, Prince Rollin and Arys Buck. He illustrated novels; laboured in animation; as a journalist, an illustrator for France Dimanche and devised a vertical comic strip ‘Le Crime ne Paie pas’ for France-Soir. In 1950, he drew a few episodes of the franchised European version of Fawcett’s Captain Marvel Jr. in Bravo!
Another inveterate transatlantic traveller, he met Goscinny in 1951. Soon fast friends, they decided to work together at the new Paris office of Belgian Publishing giant World Press. Their first collaboration was in November of that year; a feature piece on savoir vivre (how to live right or “gracious living”) for women’s weekly Bonnes Soirée, after which an avalanche of strips and serials poured forth.
Jehan Pistolet and Luc Junior were devised for La Libre Junior and they crafted a comedy Western about a very Red (but not so American) Indian who evolved into Oumpah-Pah. In 1955, with the birth of Édifrance/Édipresse, Uderzo drew Bill Blanchart for La Libre Junior, replacing Christian Godard on Benjamin et Benjamine before, in 1957 adding Charlier’s Clairette to his bulging portfolio. The following year, he made his Tintin debut, as Oumpah-Pah finally found a home and rapturous audience. Uderzo also drew Poussin et Poussif, La Famille Moutonet and La Famille Cokalane. When Pilote launched in October 1959, Uderzo was its major creative force, limning Charlier’s Tanguy et Laverdure and a comedy historical strip about Romans…
Although Asterix was a massive hit from the start, Uderzo continued with Charlier on Michel Tanguy, (subsequently Les Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure), but soon after the first Latin laugh-fest was collected in a single volume (as Astérix le gaulois in 1961) it was clear the hysterical histories would demand most of his time – especially as the incredible Goscinny seemed to require no rest or ever run out of ideas (after the writer’s death, the publication rate of Asterix tales dropped from two per year to one volume every 3-to-5). By 1967 – the origin date of today’s item of interest – Asterix occupied all Uderzo’s time and attention in both the serial stories and special premiums and bonus materials.
In 1974 the partners formed Idéfix Studios to fully exploit their inimitable creation, and when Goscinny passed away three years later, Uderzo had to be convinced to continue the series as writer and artist. Happily, he gave in and produced a further 10 tomes before retiring in 2009. He sold the rights to Hachette who continued the franchise with writer Jean-Yves Ferri & illustrator Didier Conrad. By October 2025, 41 official adventures were in print (most recently Asterix in Lusitania written by Fabcaro), making it the best-selling book series in Europe. Including assorted spin-off volumes sold worldwide, the series is the best selling comics franchise in Europe and the fourth best on Earth. Asterix made Goscinny & Uderzo France’s bestselling international authors. According to UNESCO’s Index Translationum, Uderzo is the 10th most-often translated French-language author in the world and 3rd most-translated French language comics author – right behind his old mate René and the grand master Hergé.
Astérix has been translated into 111 languages, with a host of animated and live-action movies, games and even his own theme park (Parc Astérix, near Paris). Uderzo died in 2020
So what’s it all about?
Originally seen in Pilote #1 (29th October 1959, with the first page appearing a week earlier in a promotional issue #0 distributed from June 1st 1959), the saga is set in the year 50 BC (never BCE!) on the outermost tip of Uderzo’s beloved Brittany coast. Here a small village of redoubtable warriors and their families frustrate every effort of the immense but not so irresistible Roman Empire to complete the conquest of Gaul. Unable to defeat these Horatian hold-outs, the Empire instead resorts to a policy of containment, leaving the little seaside hamlet hemmed in by heavily fortified permanent garrisons Totorum, Aquarium, Laudanum & Compendium. The Gauls couldn’t care less: they daily defy the world’s greatest military machine by simply going about their everyday affairs, protected by a magic potion provided by the resident druid and the shrewd wits of a rather diminutive dynamo and his simplistic best friend…
Like all the best entertainments the premise works on two levels: as action-packed comedic romps of sneaky and bullying baddies coming a-cropper for younger readers and as pun-filled, sly and witty satire for older, wiser heads, transformed by the brilliantly light touch of master translators Anthea Bell & Derek Hockridge (who played no small part in making the indomitable little Gaul so very palatable to the English tongue) and here by their modern-day successor Adriana Hunter.
The books are all copiously covered elsewhere on this site, but today’s treat is something a bit different and requires a bit of context…
Back when Methuselah a child, us kids all ran around uncontrolled and unsupervised like wild beasts. This meant we were in charge of our own entertainment. Television was non-recordable, radio was severely limited, books were made of paper and music came on various sizes of plastic disc that needed another entire machine – and a wall-socket – to work. We all sat around thinking up mischief to make so someone had the idea of putting audio recordings of films and TV favourites (like Thunderbirds, The Aristocats, The Sound of Music, Batman or Planet of the Apes) on vinyl in a package with a booklet of comics or even stills and text. Adults thought back then that listening to truncated dialogue or tinny soundtracks whilst reading was the next best thing to being there…
Oddly, in regard to comics related Book and Records Sets, they were not wrong…
In swinging, melody-mad 1967, Goscinny & Uderzo produced an all-new adventure of their galloping gallic superstars for this format: a short play for voices packed with tunes and musical puns and the mellow sounds of the village bard, accompanied and augmented by a brief booklet of prose directions and superb illustrated spreads (included at the back of this remastered redesigned edition as bonus feature Rediscovered Treasure) by Uderzo.
The story of Le Menhir d’Or is simple enough, beginning when village bard Cacophonix informs his far from appreciative home crowd that he will be competing in the Grand Gaulish Bard competition being held in the fabled and sacred Forest of the Carnutes. The prize is a small Golden Menhir… and the appreciation of all who hear the wonderful winning music.
Despite the customary barracking and utter lack of support, the minstrel cannot be dissuaded from attending and Chief Vitalstatistix grudgingly allows his top man Asterix to go with him.
Having heard what Cacophonix is capable of, our hero is not keen to go but fears that other bards might kill the arrogant songsmith once they hear him. Obelix decides to go too… because he hasn’t been in any fights recently…
The provisionally gentle giant gets his first treat almost immediately when the trio are attacked by bandits, but the journey is relatively peaceful and quiet – especially after Asterix convinces the singer to save his voice for the competition…
Meanwhile in Totorum, effete aesthete General Harumfus is bored. He especially craves music to soothe his jaded soul, and foolishly listens to Centurion Malapropus when the tangle-tongued oaf suggests that the nearby Gaul song contest might provide suitable melodic diversion. Enthralled, Harumfus despatches his full military forces to pick up the eventual winner for his personal edification…
Instead, through a concatenation of unlucky circumstances, and with Asterix & Obelix momentarily distracted keeping the crowds of spectators from showing Cacophonix their ardent appreciation, the centurion drags the bard back to Totorum. This in turns compels the Gaulish entourage to give chase and deliver a most emphatic impromptu encore of Asterix & Obelix’s greatest hits…
Never one to surrender or stint other peoples’ lives, General Harumfus refuses to back down… until he final hears the Bard perform and decides to seek his entertainment elsewhere. Anywhere elsewhere…
Although short and skewed towards dialogue and narration, The Golden Menhir is a sharp, good-natured, adventure packed with wry humour and expressive energy. It barrels along, delivering barrages of puns, verbal, visual and musical and vibrates with slapstick action, all marvellously rendered in Uderzo’s seductively stylish bigfoot art-style.
This tale is available right now digitally, but the physical paperback doesn’t go on sale until March 4th 2027, by which time there will probably be an audiobook version (no-brainer that one guys…)
This is possibly the last huzzah of the sublime, supremely enjoyable comics storytelling of Goscinny & Uderzo and you’d be as Crazy as the Romans not to join in one last rousing chorus…
© 1967 Goscinny/Uderzo. © 2020 LES ÉDITIONS ALBERT RENÉ. THE GOLDEN MENHIR © 2026 LES ÉDITIONS ALBERT RENÉ. For this edition and its translation into British English. All rights reserved.