{"id":29787,"date":"2024-05-07T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T08:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=29787"},"modified":"2024-05-07T11:24:07","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T11:24:07","slug":"asterix-omnibus-volume-1-asterix-the-gaul-asterix-and-the-golden-sickle-asterix-and-the-goths-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2024\/05\/07\/asterix-omnibus-volume-1-asterix-the-gaul-asterix-and-the-golden-sickle-asterix-and-the-goths-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Asterix Omnibus volume 1: Asterix the Gaul, Asterix and the Golden Sickle, Asterix and the Goths"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nBy Ren\u00e9 Goscinny<\/strong> & Albert Uderzo<\/strong>, translated by Anthea Bell<\/strong> & Derek Hockridge<\/strong> (Orion)
\nISBN: 978-0-75289-154-5(HB) 978-1-44400-423-6(TPB)<\/p>\n

Asterix the Gaul<\/strong> is probably France\u2019s greatest literary export. The feisty, wily little warrior who fought the iniquities and viewed the myriad wonders of Julius Caesar<\/em>\u2019s Roman Empire with brains, bravery and – whenever necessary – a magical potion imbuing the imbiber with incredible strength, speed and vitality, is the go-to reference all us non-Gallic gallants when we think of France.<\/p>\n

The diminutive, doughty darling was created at the close of the 1950s by two of our artform\u2019s greatest masters, with his first official appearance being October 29th<\/sup> in Pilote<\/em><\/strong> #1, even though he had actually debuted in a pre-release teaser – or \u201cpilot\u201d – some weeks earlier. Bon Anniversaire mon petit brave!<\/em><\/p>\n

Ren\u00e9 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 Ren\u00e9 showed artistic promise. He studied fine arts and graduated in 1942. Three years later, while working as junior illustrator at an ad agency, his uncle invited him to stay in America, where he worked as a translator.<\/p>\n

After National Service in France, he returned to the States and settled in Brooklyn, pursuing an artistic career and becoming, in 1948, an assistant in a small studio which included Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder, Jack Davis & John Severin, as well as European giants-in-waiting Maurice de B\u00e9v\u00e8re (Morris<\/em>, with whom from 1955-1977 Goscinny produced Lucky Luke<\/strong>) and Joseph Gillain (Jij\u00e9)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Goscinny also met Georges Troisfontaines, head of World Press Agency, the company that provided comics for the French magazine Le Journal de<\/em><\/strong> Spirou<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>After contributing scripts to Belles Histoires de l\u2019Oncle Paul<\/em> and Jerry Spring<\/em><\/strong>, Goscinny was promoted to head of World Press\u2019 Paris office. Here he met his ultimate creative collaborator Albert Uderzo. In his spare time, Ren\u00e9 also created Sylvie<\/em> and Alain et Christine<\/em> with Martial Durand (\u201cMartial\u201d) and Fanfan et Polo<\/em>, drawn by Dino Attanasio. In 1955, Goscinny, Uderzo, Charlier & Jean H\u00e9brad formed independent syndicate \u00c9difrance\/\u00c9dipresse, creating magazines for business and general industry like Clairon<\/em><\/strong> for the factory union and Pistolin<\/em><\/strong> for a chocolate factory. With Uderzo, Ren\u00e9 spawned Bill Blanchart<\/em>, Pistolet<\/em> and Benjamin et Benjamine<\/em>, whilst illustrated his own scripts for Le Capitaine Bibobu<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Under nom-de-plume Agostini<\/em>, he wrote Le Petit Nicholas<\/em><\/strong> (drawn by Jean-Jacques Semp\u00e9), and in 1956 began an association with revolutionary periodical Le Journal de<\/em><\/strong> Tintin<\/em><\/strong>, writing for various illustrators including Attanasio (Signor Spagetti<\/em>), Bob De Moor (Monsieur Tric<\/em>), Mar\u00e9chal (Prudence Petitpas<\/em>), Berck (Strapontin<\/em>), Globule le Martien <\/em>and Alphonse<\/em> for Tibet; as well as Modeste et Pompon<\/em><\/strong> for Andr\u00e9 Franquin, and with Uderzo fabulously funny adventures of inimitable Indian brave Oumpah-Pah<\/em><\/strong>. Goscinny also wrote for the magazines Paris-Flirt<\/em><\/strong> and Vaillant<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In 1959, \u00c9difrance\/\u00c9dipresse launched Pilote<\/em><\/strong>, and Ren\u00e9 went into overdrive. The first issue featured re-launched versions of Le Petit Nicolas<\/em><\/strong>, Jehan Pistolet\/Jehan Soupolet, <\/em>new serials Jacquot le Mousse <\/em>and Tromblon et Bottaclou <\/em>(drawn by Godard), plus a little something called Ast\u00e9rix le gaulois<\/em><\/strong>: inarguably the greatest achievement of his partnership with Uderzo.<\/p>\n

When Georges Dargaud bought Pilote<\/em><\/strong> in 1960, Goscinny became Editor-in-Chief, still making time to add new series Les Divagations de Monsieur Sait-Tout<\/em> (with Martial), La Potachologie Illustr<\/em>\u00e9 (Cabu), Les Dingodossiers<\/em> (Gotlib) and La For\u00eat de Ch\u00eanebeau <\/em>(Mic Delinx). He also wrote frequently for television, but never stopped creating strips like Les Aventures du Calife Haroun el Poussah <\/em><\/strong>for Record<\/em><\/strong> – illustrated by Swedish artist Jean Tabary. A minor success, it was re-tooled as Iznogoud<\/em><\/strong> when it transferred to Pilote<\/em><\/strong>. Goscinny died far too young, in November 1977.<\/p>\n

Alberto Aleandro Uderzo was born on April 25th<\/sup> 1927, in Fismes on the Marne, a child of Italian immigrants. As a boy reading Mickey Mouse<\/strong> in Le P\u00e9tit Parisien<\/em><\/strong>, he showed artistic flair from an early age. Alberto became a French citizen at age seven and dreamed of being an aircraft mechanic, but at 13 became an apprentice of the Paris Publishing Society, learning design, typography, calligraphy and photo retouching. When WWII came, he spent time with farming relatives in Brittany, joining his father\u2019s furniture-making business. Brittany beguiled Uderzo: when a location for Asterix\u2019s idyllic village was being decided upon, the region was the only choice\u2026<\/p>\n

In France\u2019s post-war rebuilding, Uderzo returned to Paris to become a successful illustrator in the country\u2019s burgeoning comics industry. His first published work – a pastiche of Aesop\u2019s Fables<\/strong> – appeared in Junior<\/em><\/strong> and, in 1945, he was introduced to industry giant Edmond- Fran\u00e7oise Calvo (The Beast is Dead<\/strong>). Young Uderzo\u2019s subsequent creations included indomitable eccentric Clopinard<\/em>, Belloy<\/em>, l\u2019Invuln\u00e9rable<\/em>, Prince Rollin<\/em> and Arys Buck<\/em>. He illustrated novels, worked in animation, as a journalist, as illustrator for France Dimanche<\/em><\/strong> and created vertical comic strip \u2018Le Crime ne Paie pas\u2019<\/em> for France-Soir<\/em><\/strong>. In 1950, he drew a few episodes of the franchised European version of Fawcett\u2019s Captain Marvel Jr.<\/strong> for Bravo!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Another inveterate traveller, the young artist 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<\/em> (how to live right or gracious living) for women\u2019s weekly Bonnes Soir\u00e9e<\/em><\/strong>, after which an avalanche of splendid strips and serials poured forth.<\/p>\n

Jehan Pistolet<\/em> and Luc Junior<\/em> were devised for La Libre Junior<\/em><\/strong> and they produced a comedy Western starring a very Red (but not so American) Indian who evolved into Oumpah-Pah<\/em><\/strong>. In 1955, with the formation of \u00c9difrance\/\u00c9dipresse, Uderzo drew Bill Blanchart<\/em> for La Libre Junior<\/em><\/strong>, replacing Christian Godard on Benjamin et Benjamine<\/em> before, in 1957 adding Charlier\u2019s Clairette<\/em> to his bulging portfolio. The following year, he made his Tintin<\/em><\/strong> debut, as Oumpah-Pah<\/em><\/strong> finally found a home and rapturous audience. Uderzo also illuminated Poussin et Poussif<\/em>, La Famille<\/em> Moutonet<\/em> and La Famille Cokalane<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When Pilote<\/em><\/strong> launched in October 1959, Uderzo was its major creative force, limning Charlier\u2019s Tanguy et Laverdure<\/em> and a humorous historical strip about Romans\u2026<\/p>\n

Although Asterix<\/strong> was a massive hit from the start, Uderzo continued working with Charlier on Michel Tanguy<\/em>, (subsequently Les Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure<\/em><\/strong>), but soon after the first historical serial was collected in a single volume as Ast\u00e9rix le gaulois<\/em><\/strong> in 1961, it was clear the series would demand most of his time – especially as the incredible Goscinny never seemed to require rest or run out of ideas (after the writer\u2019s death, the publication rate of Asterix tales dropped from two per year to one volume every 3-to-5).<\/p>\n

By 1967, Asterix<\/strong> occupied all Uderzo\u2019s time and attention. In 1974 the partners formed Id\u00e9fix Studios to fully exploit their inimitable creation, and when Goscinny passed away three years later, Uderzo had to be convinced to continue the adventures as writer and artist. Happily, he gave in and produced a further ten volumes before retiring in 2009. According to UNESCO\u2019s Index Translationum<\/em>, Uderzo is the 10th<\/sup> most-often translated French-language author in the world and 3rd<\/sup> most-translated French language comics author – right behind his old mate Ren\u00e9 and the grand master Herg\u00e9.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s it all about?<\/p>\n

Like all the best entertainments the premise works on two levels: as an action-packed comedic romp of sneaky and bullying baddies coming a-cropper for younger readers and as a pun-filled, sly and witty satire for older, wiser heads, transformed here 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).
\n\"\"
\nOriginally serialised in Pilote<\/em><\/strong> #1-38 (29th<\/sup> October 1959 – 4th<\/sup> July 1960, with the first page appearing a week earlier in a promotional issue #0 distributed from June 1st<\/sup> 1959), the story is set in the year 50 BC (not BCE!) on the outermost tip of Uderzo\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Unable to defeat these Horatian hold-outs, the Empire resorts to a policy of containment, leaving the little seaside hamlet hemmed in by heavily fortified permanent garrisons – Totorum<\/em>, Aquarium<\/em>, Laudanum<\/em> and Compendium<\/em>. The Gauls don\u2019t care: they daily defy the world\u2019s greatest military machine by just 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\u2026<\/p>\n

In Asterix the Gaul<\/strong>, this immaculate comedy-drama scenario is hilariously demonstrated when Centurion Crismus Bonus<\/em> – fed up with his soldiers being casually beaten up by the fiercely free pre-Frenchmen – sends reluctant spy Caligula Minus<\/em> to ferret out the secret of their incredible strength. The affable insurgents take the infiltrator in and, soon dosed up with potion, the perfidious Roman escapes with the answer – if not the formula itself\u2026<\/p>\n

Soon after, wise and wily Druid Getafix <\/em>is captured by the invaders and the village seems doomed, but crafty Asterix is on the case. Breaking into Compendium and resolved to teach the Romans a lesson, he drives them crazy for ages by resisting all efforts at bribery and coercion, until abruptly wizard and warrior seemingly capitulate. They make the Romans a magic potion\u2026 but not the one the rapacious oppressors were hoping for\u2026<\/p>\n

Although comparatively raw and unpolished, the good-natured, adventurous humour and sheer energy of the yarn barrels along, delivering barrages of puns, oodles of insane situations and loads of low-trauma slapstick action, all marvellously rendered in Uderzo\u2019s seductively stylish bigfoot art-style. From the second saga on, the unique and expanding cast would encroach on events, especially the unique and expanded, show-stealing sidekick Obelix<\/em> – who had fallen into a vat of potion as a baby – and became a genial, permanently superhuman, eternally hungry foil to our little wise guy\u2026<\/p>\n

Asterix and the Golden Sickle<\/strong> originally unfolded in Pilote<\/em><\/strong> #42-74, recounting disastrous consequences after Getafix loses his ceremonial gold sickle just before the grand Annual Conference of Gaulish Druids<\/em>. Since time is passing and no ordinary replacement will suffice to cut ingredients for magic potion, Asterix offers to go all the way to Lutetia (you can call it Paris if you want) to find another.<\/p>\n

Since Obelix has a cousin there – Metallurgix the Smith<\/em> – he volunteers for the trip too and the punning pair are swiftly away, barely stopping to teach assorted bandits the errors of their pilfering ways, but still finding a little time to visit many roadside inns and taverns serving traditional roast boar. There is concurrently a crisis in Lutetia: a mysterious gang is stealing all the Golden Sickles and forcing prices up. The Druid community is deeply distressed and, more worrying still, master sickle-maker Metallurgix has gone missing too.<\/p>\n

When Asterix and Obelix investigate the dastardly doings in their own bombastic manner they discover a nefarious plot that seems to go all the way to the office of the local Roman Prefect\u2026<\/p>\n

The early creative experiment was quickly crystallizing into a supremely winning format of ongoing weekly episodes slowly building into complete readily divisible adventures. The next epic cemented the strip\u2019s status as a popular icon of Gallic excellence.<\/p>\n

Asterix and the Goths <\/strong>ran from 1962-1963 and followed a dangling plot-thread of the Druid Conference as Getafix, brand new sickle in hand, sets off for the Forest of the Carnutes<\/em> to compete. However, on Gaul\u2019s Eastern border savage Goths – barbarians who remained unconquered despite the might of the Empire – have crossed into pacified Roman territory. These barbarians are intent on capturing the mightiest Druid and turning his magic against the rule of Julius Caesar<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Although non-Druids aren\u2019t allowed into the forest, Asterix & Obelix had accompanied Getafix to its edge, and as the Conference competition round ends in victory for him and his power-potion, the Goths strike, abducting him in his moment of triumph. Alerted by fellow Druid Prefix<\/em>, our heroic duo track the kidnappers, but are mistaken for Visigoths by Roman patrols, allowing the Goths to cross the border into Germania. Although Romans are no threat, they can be a time-wasting hindrance, so Asterix & Obelix disguise themselves as Romans to invade the Barbarian lands\u2026<\/p>\n

By now well-used to being held prisoner, Getafix is making himself a real nuisance to his bellicose captors and a genuine threat to the wellbeing of his long-suffering appointed translator. When Asterix & Obelix are captured dressed as Goths, they concoct a cunning plan to end the ever-present threat of Gothic invasion – a scheme that continues successfully for almost two thousand years\u2026<\/p>\n

Ast\u00e9rix<\/strong> is one of the most popular comics in the world, translated into 111 languages, with a host of animated and live-action movies, games and even his own theme park (Parc<\/strong> Ast\u00e9rix<\/strong>, near Paris). Approaching 400 million copies of 40 Asterix books and a handful of spin-off volumes have been sold worldwide, making Goscinny & Uderzo France\u2019s bestselling international authors. This is sublime comics storytelling and you\u2019d be as Crazy as the Romans not to increase those statistics by finally getting around to acquiring your own copies of this fabulous, frolicsome French Folly.
\n\u00a9 1961-1963 Goscinny\/Uderzo. Revised English translation \u00a9 2004 Hachette. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ren\u00e9 Goscinny & Albert Uderzo, translated by Anthea Bell & Derek Hockridge (Orion) ISBN: 978-0-75289-154-5(HB) 978-1-44400-423-6(TPB) Asterix the Gaul is probably France\u2019s greatest literary export. The feisty, wily little warrior who fought the iniquities and viewed the myriad wonders of Julius Caesar\u2019s Roman Empire with brains, bravery and – whenever necessary – a magical … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Asterix Omnibus volume 1: Asterix the Gaul, Asterix and the Golden Sickle, Asterix and the Goths”<\/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":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,183,113,63,122,125,156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-asterix","category-comedy","category-european-classics","category-historical","category-humour","category-world-classics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-7Kr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29787","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=29787"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29790,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29787\/revisions\/29790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}