Five decades later, Gauls Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix still have enough charm to sell 325 million comics worldwide
Five decades later, Gauls Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix still have enough charm to sell 325 million comics worldwide
Getafix. That perfect name for a Druid pretty much defines why comic book fans the world over flip through an Asterix comic with the undisguised glee common to junkies of another kind. It is the name of the protagonist (which originates from the Greek equivalent of "little star") that is imperfect. Little Stars do not spawn 11 movies, after all. They do not sell 325 million books. And they are definitely not popular for a half century as Asterix managed to be, this October 29.
When faced with the premise of the series, it's easy to imagine what its creators must have asked themselves:
"Will this really work?" You'd ask yourself that too, were you to write stories set in 50 BC, focusing on an unnamed coastal village in what is now France. Your publishers would also have doubts, were you to tell them the stories pitted those villagers against Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire. And, yes, that they kept the Romans at bay by drinking a magic potion created by the aforementioned Druid. It may explain why the first print-run was a modest 6,000 copies.
Let's look at this from the comic fanboy's perspective though. There's the small, wily protagonist Asterix; his not-so-bright chubby friend Obelix both born on the same day, according to Asterix and the Class Act and a dog called, um, Dogmatix. They travel the world (stopping by India, too), wipe out battalions of inept Roman soldiers, and crack an astonishing number of puns along the way. What's not to love?
The first book appeared in 1961, followed like clockwork by 32 others until the death of writer Renu00e9 Goscinny.
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Illustrator Albert Uderzo then continued the good work, and is responsible for a celebratory album of short stories, The Birthday of Asterix and Obelix (with 56 pages of new cartoons) out this month. Also, appearing on bookshelves is a collectible boxed set with all paperback titles.
The most intriguing thing about Asterix's success is how a product so obviously and defiantly French has managed to hold out, like its heroes, against the cultural influence of the West. In a recent interview with Time magazine, Uderzo compared it to the narrative of David against Goliath. Everyone could identify with the image of vengeance against things bigger than themselves, he pointed out. We love Asterix, then, because we love the underdog. And there's one struggling beneath the surface of most of us.
Asterix and Obelix's Birthday: The Golden Book has been published by Hachette India and is available at leading bookstores for Rs 595
Asterix Who?
The Adventures of Asterix, written by Renu00e9 Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo, follows a group of Gauls as they resist the occupation of their village by Romans. Every title tracks the exploits of the protagonist Asterix and his friend Obelix. Interestingly, the names of all characters, except Asterix and Obelix, vary from one translation to another. These include village leader Chief Vitalstatistix, the bard Cacofonix, blacksmith Fulliautomatix, oldest inhabitant Geriatrix...you get the picture. The series is now published in 107 languages, and has made Goscinny and Uderzo France's largest selling authors abroad.
Why I love Asterix
Tanay Gabhawala, student, 15
The series shows us how the French think. I love the humour. What I also find intriguing is how there's so much bloodshed, but it is never gruesome.
Preetee Sanghavi, teacher, 30
The names of these characters are what I have always found amusing. They still amuse me, even though I have read some titles a number of times over the past decade.
Melissa Patheria, media professional, 29
When I was little, I relied on Obelix to lift my mood whenever I had a bad day at school. The comics still cheer me up, which says a lot about how genuinely funny some of these characters are.
Rahul Shroff, student, 16
If you look at these comic panels carefully, something always appears to be happening behind-the-scenes. Birds chasing smaller birds that, in turn, chase insects and it's all very funny.
I was completely in love with Obelix
Shibani Kashyap, singer and music composer
As a kid, I used to pride myself on having the whole series of Asterix comics and I was particularly in love with the peculiar Obelix. Though it didn't quite appeal to me initially because of its violent feel, some boys from my class hadu00a0 proclaimed that whoever doesn't read Asterix, was a sissy. We all immediately bought our copies and I found myself hooked. The village set-up and the period tale with cranky situations made it all rather cute. I would never think of giving off my collection. Today's generation mayu00a0 relish such comics any more, but we thrived on them.
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