{"id":17477,"date":"2017-11-06T08:56:27","date_gmt":"2017-11-06T08:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=17477"},"modified":"2017-11-06T08:56:27","modified_gmt":"2017-11-06T08:56:27","slug":"asterix-and-the-chariot-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2017\/11\/06\/asterix-and-the-chariot-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Asterix and the Chariot Race"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Jean-Yves Ferri<\/strong> & Didier Conrad<\/strong>, colored by Thierry M\u00c3\u00a9barki<\/strong> and translated by Adriana Hunter<\/strong> (Orion Books)
\nISBN: 978-1-5101-0401-3 (HB)\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 eISBN: 978-1-5101-0402-0<\/p>\n

Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Celebrate the Season in Classical Style\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 9\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asterix<\/em> debuted in 1959 and has since become part of the fabric of French life. His exploits have touched billions of people all around the world for five and a half decades and for almost all of that time his astounding adventures were the sole preserve of originators Rene Goscinny and\/or Albert Uderzo.<\/p>\n

After nearly 15 years dissemination as weekly serials (subsequently collected into book-length compilations), in 1974 the 21st<\/sup> saga – Asterix and Caesar’s Gift<\/strong> – was the first to be released as a complete, original album prior to serialisation.<\/p>\n

Thereafter each new tome became an eagerly anticipated, impatiently awaited treat for legions of devotees. The eager anxiety hasn’t diminished any even now that Uderzo’s handpicked replacements – scripter Jean-Yves Ferri (Fables Autonomes<\/em><\/strong>, La Retour \u00c3\u00a0 la terre<\/em><\/strong>) and illustrator Didier Conrad (Les Innomables<\/em>, Le Pi\u00c3\u00a8ge Malais<\/em><\/strong>, Tatum<\/em><\/strong>) have taken up the creative role since his retirement in 2009.<\/p>\n

Whether as an action-packed comedic romp with sneaky, bullying baddies getting their just deserts or as a sly and wicked satire for older-if-no-wiser heads, these new yarns are just as engrossing as the established canon.<\/p>\n

As you already know, half of the intoxicating epics take place in various exotic locales throughout the Ancient World, whilst the alternating rest are set in and around Uderzo’s adored Brittany where, circa 50 BC, a little hamlet of cantankerous, proudly defiant warriors and their families resist every effort of the mighty Roman Empire to complete the conquest of Gaul.<\/p>\n

Although the country is divided by the notional conquerors into provinces Celtica<\/em>, Aquitania<\/em> and Armorica<\/em>, the very tip of the last named stubbornly refuses to be properly pacified. The otherwise dominant overlords, utterly unable to overrun this last bastion of Gallic insouciance, are reduced to a pointless policy of absolute containment – and yet the irksome Gauls come and go as they please.<\/p>\n

Thus, a tiny seaside hamlet is permanently hemmed in by heavily fortified garrisons Totorum<\/em>, Aquarium<\/em>, Laudanum<\/em> and Compendium<\/em>, filled with veteran fighters who would rather be anywhere else on earth than there\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Their \u00e2\u20ac\u0153prisoners\u00e2\u20ac\u009d couldn’t care less; daily defying and frustrating the world’s greatest military machine by uncaringly going about their everyday affairs, bolstered by magic potion brewed by resident druid Getafix<\/em> and the shrewd wits and strategic aplomb of diminutive dynamo Asterix and his simplistic, supercharged best friend Obelix<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Ast\u00c3\u00a9rix et la Transitalique<\/em><\/strong> was released on October 17th<\/sup> 2017, and simultaneously or soon after hurtled off the shelves of many nations as Asterix and the Chariot Race<\/strong> – or whatever the local language equivalent of the many nations addicted to these epics might be…<\/p>\n

This time the narrative horsepower comes from sport, and as always there is a healthy helping of satirical lampooning of current affairs, administrative, political and regional and nationalistic\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Before this away game eventually takes in all of Italy it opens bombastically in the Roman Senate where shifty political chancer Lactus Bifidus<\/em> is fiercely challenged about the appalling state of the Empire’s roads. Yes, they all still lead to Rome, but their maintenance is a major issue riddled with potholes that are a public disgrace and hazard to safe navigation\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Roused from a sneaky slumber and thinking too fast, the overly-defensive corrupt bureaucrat instantly declares a grand chariot race to span all of Italy and thereby prove the perfection of the byways under his management.<\/p>\n

His big mistake is publicly declaring his magnificent trans-Italian rally open to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153all the peoples of the known world\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

As a seething Julius Caesar <\/em>is quick to point out in private, a competition spanning the entire Italic Peninsula is liable to stir up subject races and even other Italian cities if it’s won by anyone but a purebred Roman Citizen.<\/p>\n

The Emperors then advises Lactus that it’s now the Senator’s sole responsibility to guarantee no barbarian crosses the finish line first\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

In Gaul, the residents of a certain indomitable village are rowdily enjoying themselves at a huge market festival. Amidst the tooth pullers, weapons-sellers, fortune tellers and other vendors, one canny salesman spies an easy mark and lumbers gullible giant Obelix with a flashy racing chariot.<\/p>\n

The superhuman simpleton’s friends soon cease their good-natured teasing at his foolish purchase after the announcement of the great Trans-Italic Race is read out and Chief Vitalstatistix<\/em> agrees that it would be nice to bother the Romans on their own turf for a change\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Soon Asterix, Obelix and canine companion Dogmatix<\/em> are off on those bumpy deplorable roads and heading for the border. From Modica<\/em> they will pit themselves against a horde of teams hungry for victory as they chase down to the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153boot of Italy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to the finish line at Neapolis<\/em> under the grumbling fire mountain Vesuvius\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Most of their competitors seem decent enough folk, but amongst the racers from Breton, Lusitania, Kush, Liguria, Calabria and other desolate points of the Empire, Asterix notes a few teams to watch closely: the devious Cimbri, the rowdy Normans and Sarmatians but most especially the Roman squad and their always-masked, unbeaten charioteer Coronavirus\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

There’s something not quite right about him\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

And then, with wealthy sponsors Lupus Garum<\/em> (the Fermented Fish-gut Sauce of Champions!) adjudicating every stage of the contest the valiant Aurigae (you know that means charioteers, right?) are off!<\/p>\n

Spoofing sporting corruption, the ephemeral venalities of corporate sponsorship and the sordid power of petty nationalism, this rocket-paced rollercoaster ride is awash with sneaky plots, dirty tricks and rapid switches of allegiance; providing plenty of thrills and spills to garnish the madcap chase to the finish line, and even incorporates spacious room for plenty of twists, turns and deliciously doled-out just deserts.<\/p>\n

With Asterix and Obelix at their most disingenuously heroic and charming, this unbeatable Race of the Century is furiously funny and hilariously jam-packed with and timeless jibes and cracking contemporary swipes, plus an enchanting double-surprise ending. Asterix and the Chariot Race <\/strong>is a sure win and another triumphant addition to the mythic canon for laugh-seekers in general and all devotees of comics.
\n\u00c2\u00a9 2017 Les \u00c3\u2030ditions Albert Ren\u00c3\u00a9. English translation: \u00c2\u00a9 2017 Les \u00c3\u2030ditions Albert Ren\u00c3\u00a9. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jean-Yves Ferri & Didier Conrad, colored by Thierry M\u00c3\u00a9barki and translated by Adriana Hunter (Orion Books) ISBN: 978-1-5101-0401-3 (HB)\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 eISBN: 978-1-5101-0402-0 Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Celebrate the Season in Classical Style\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 9\/10 Asterix debuted in 1959 and has since become part of the fabric of French life. His exploits have touched billions of people … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Asterix and the Chariot Race”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[183,113,63,97,156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asterix","category-comedy","category-european-classics","category-kids-all-ages","category-world-classics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-4xT","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17477"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17477\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}