Asterix 2101 224705351 2008-07-10T01:24:23Z 72.145.2.151 {{nofootnotes}} {{Original research|date=June 2008}} {{otheruses4|the comic book series|the character|Asterix (character)}}{{otheruses}} {{dablink|Not to be confused with the [[Asterisk|Asterisk (typographical mark)]].}} {{Superherobox <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics--> | image = [[Image:Asterix - Cast.png|300px]] | caption = Some characters of ''Asterix'' | character_name = Asterix | publisher = [[Dargaud]] (France) | debut = ''[[Pilote]]'' #1 ([[October 29]] [[1959]]) | creators = [[René Goscinny]] and [[Albert Uderzo]] | alter_ego = Astérix (French) | full_name = | species = <!-- optional --> | homeworld = <!-- optional --> | alliances = The small Gaulish village. | aliases = | supports= | powers = Superhuman strength after drinking magic potion made by the [[druid]] [[recurring characters in Asterix#Getafix|Getafix]]. }} '''''The Adventures of Asterix''''' ([[French language|French]]: '''''Astérix''''' or '''''Astérix le Gaulois''''') is a [[List of Asterix volumes|series]] of [[France|French]] [[comic book]]s by [[René Goscinny]] (stories) and [[Albert Uderzo]] (illustrations). Uderzo has continued the series since the death of Goscinny in 1977. The series follows the exploits of a village of ancient [[Gaul]]s as they resist Roman occupation. They do so by means of a magic potion, brewed by their [[druid]], which gives the recipient superhuman strength. This is often used for comic effect, as in a recurring sequence where the villagers sally forth from their village to rout the attacking Romans so easily as to consider it great sport. In many cases, this resistance leads the main characters to travel to various [[Europe]]an countries (but also [[Egypt]], [[Americas|America]], [[India]] and other non-European locations) in every other book, while the remaining are set in and around their village. The 33 main books or albums (one of which is a compendium of short stories) have been translated into more than 100 languages and dialects. Besides the original [[French language|French]], most albums are available in [[English language|English]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[German language|German]], [[Danish language|Danish]], [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Catalan language|Catalan]], [[Basque language|Basque]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] (and [[Brazilian Portuguese]]), [[Italian language|Italian]], [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Romanian language|Romanian]], [[Greek language|modern Greek]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]], [[Slovenian language|Slovenian]], [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]], [[Serbian language|Serbian]] and [[Croatian language|Croatian]]. Beyond modern Europe, some albums have also been translated into languages as diverse as [[Esperanto]], [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Mandarin (linguistics)|Mandarin]], [[Korean language|Korean]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Afrikaans Language|Afrikaans]], [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[Hindi]], [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], [[West Frisian language|Frisian]], [[Latin]] and [[Attic Greek|Ancient Greek]]. In France, in [[Finland]], [[Poland]] and especially in [[Germany]], several volumes were translated into a variety of regional [[dialect]]s, such as [[Alsatian language|Alsatian]] in France, [[Swabian German|Swabian]] and [[Low German]] in Germany, [[Kashubian language|Kashubian]] and [[Silesian language|Silesian]] in Poland and [[Savo]], [[Karelia]], [[Rauma, Finland|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]]. [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]-language books have been issued in [[Yugoslavia]] for the [[Magyars|Hungarian]] minority living in [[Serbia]]. Although not a fully autonomic dialect, it slightly differs from the language of the books issued in [[Hungary]]. In Greece, a number of volumes have appeared in the [[Cretan Greek]] and [[Pontic Greek]] dialects and in [[Attic Greek|Ancient Greek]].{{Fact|date=February 2008}} The Asterix series is one of the most popular [[Franco-Belgian comics|French comics]] in the world, and familiar to people of all ages in most [[Europe]]an countries, Great Britain, [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and parts of South America, Africa and Asia particularly, [[Brazil]], [[Argentina]], [[Cuba]], [[Peru]], [[Chile]], [[Colombia]], [[Uruguay]], [[South Africa]], [[Kenya]], [[Philippines]], [[Singapore]], [[Republic of India|India]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Indonesia]] and [[Malaysia]]. Asterix is less well known in the [[United States]] and [[Japan]]. In its early years the [[Disney Channel]] aired the British-produced English translations of the Asterix films; it received modest success in establishing a foothold with American audiences.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} The names of the characters contain puns, and vary with translation into other languages. This article uses the names from the English-language translations by [[Anthea Bell]] and [[Derek Hockridge]]. For the French names see [[English translations of Asterix#Comparison of names of major characters|a separate section]]. Apart from the 33 main comics, other Asterix books and film books have been made. See [[List of Asterix volumes]]. Several books have been made into [[List of Asterix films|films]], eight animated, and three with live actors. There have also been a number of [[List of Asterix games|games]]. ==History of the series== Goscinny and Uderzo previously had success with their series ''[[Oumpah-pah]]'', which was published in the [[Tintin (magazine)|''Tintin'']] magazine. ''Astérix'' was originally serialised in the magazine ''[[Pilote]]'', in the very first issue published on [[October 29]], [[1959]].<ref name="Pilote-1959">{{cite web | last =BDoubliées | title =Pilote année 1959 | url =http://bdoubliees.com/journalpilote/series1/asterix.htm | language = French }}</ref> In 1961 the first book was put together entitled ''[[Asterix the Gaul]]''. From then on, books were released generally on a yearly basis. When Goscinny died, Uderzo continued the series alone, though on a less frequent basis. Uderzo's stories have not been as critically well received as the ones co-authored with Goscinny.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==Characters== {{main|Characters in Asterix}} ==Humour== The humour encountered in the Asterix comics is typically French, often centering on puns, caricatures, and [[tongue-in-cheek]] [[stereotype]]s of contemporary European nations and [[List of regions in France|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 language|Italian]] translation, the Roman legionnaires are made to speak in 20th century Roman dialect. The newer albums share a more universal humour, both written and visual. In spite of (or perhaps because of) this [[stereotyping]] and notwithstanding some alleged streaks of French [[chauvinism]], it has been very well received by European and Francophone cultures around the world. ===Stereotypes and allusions=== Wherever they visit, Asterix and his friend [[Obelix]] encounter people and things borrowed and caricatured from 20th century real life. In the early album ''[[Asterix and the Goths]]'' for instance, the [[Goths]] (early Germans) are represented as [[militarism|militaristic]] and regimented, reminiscent of the [[German empire]]. The helmets worn by these Goths even resemble the German [[Pickelhaube]] helmets worn up to [[World War I]] and one of their leaders bears an uncanny resemblance to [[Otto von Bismarck]]. The [[United Kingdom|British]] are shown as polite and [[phlegmatic]], drinking warm [[beer]] or hot water with a drop of milk (before the first [[tea]] was brought by Asterix to what would later become [[England]]); they boil all their food and serve it with mint sauce, and they drive their chariots on the left side of the road. [[Iberian Peninsula|Spain]] is the cheap country down south where people from the [[Northern Europe|North]] go on vacation and the locals are proud and hot-blooded. [[Portugal|Portuguese]] people are always depicted as short and plump - Uderzo once said that every Portuguese immigrant he knew was like that. All the tribes represented are treated humorously as prototypes for their modern counterparts, and many aspects of them are satirized. However, the French are not exempt from satire, and almost all of the peoples Asterix meets are portrayed positively, even the Romans. The only tribe depicted completely unflatteringly is the Goths, possibly a result of the Second World War. In later books, such as ''Asterix the Legionary'' and ''Asterix and Obelix All at Sea'', the Goths were depicted much more sympathetically; possibly because the Asterix series became very popular in Germany. Some caricatures of the traits of certain French regions are also used: people from [[Normandy]] smother their food in cream and cannot give a straight answer; people from [[Marseille]] play [[boules]] and exaggerate matters, and [[Corsica]]ns don't like to do any work, are easily angered and have generations-long-standing [[vendetta]]s that they settle violently, and make cheese that smells so bad that it actually turns explosive. Minor characters often resemble famous people or fictional characters, usually caricatures of existing French people of the same era, particularly from television and the spectacles. In ''[[Obelix and Co.]]'', for example, the young Roman bureaucrat is a caricature of a young [[Jacques Chirac]], and it includes two Roman legionaries drawn to the likeness of [[Stan Laurel]] and [[Oliver Hardy]]. In ''[[Asterix and the Falling Sky]]'', the super-clones are a caricature of both [[Superman]] and [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], and their leader, [[Toon]], resembles [[Mickey Mouse]]. Likewise the planet which Toon hails from, Tadilsweny, is an anagram of Walt Disney, in homage to the late cartoonist. At the back of the issue Uderzo also writes a short testimony to Walt Disney and gives away the anagram by mentioning "... Tadsil..., I mean, Walt Disney...". Such characters usually stand out visually, by not having the bulbous noses otherwise typical of Uderzo's style. ''[[Asterix and the Roman Agent]]'' features a roman centurion bearing a remarkable resemblance to [[Sylvester Stallone]], however this is almost certainly not intentional as Stallone's career-making film ''[[Rocky]]'' was released in 1976, 6 years after the album. Other side characters allude to people related to the place Asterix is visiting. Notable examples include a very [[Elizabeth Taylor]]-like Cleopatra in ''[[Asterix and Cleopatra]]''; Britain's most famous bards in the story ''[[Asterix in Britain]]'', who are four in number and look remarkably like [[the Beatles]]; a pair of Belgian warriors in ''[[Asterix in Belgium]]'' who resemble and also speak like Dupond and Dupont ([[Thomson and Thompson]]) of [[The Adventures of Tintin|Tintin]]-fame (the two characters are drawn in Hergé's typical [[ligne claire]] style, which is atypical for Uderzo), also in this album [[Eddy Merckx]], the cyclist, as a messenger; and both [[Don Quixote]] and [[Sancho Panza]] are depicted in ''[[Asterix in Spain]]''. More recently, this spoofing has occasionally extended to major characters as well: in ''[[Asterix and the Black Gold]]'', a Roman spy is a young [[Sean Connery]] named Dubbelosix drawn in [[James Bond]] style, and in ''[[Asterix and Obelix All at Sea]]'', the leader of the escaped slaves (named Spartakis, being Greek) is based on [[Kirk Douglas]]'s portrayal of the title character of ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]''. In ''[[Asterix and the Cauldron]]'', the head of the theatre is Laurensolivius, based on the actor [[Laurence Olivier]]. In the same book, there is another theatre actor of the name Alecguinius, based on the actor [[Alec Guinness]]. The stories also feature allusions to major artistic works (such as [[Pieter Bruegel]]'s ''[[:Image:Bruegel peasant wedding dsc01965.jpg|Peasant Wedding]]'' and [[Victor Hugo]]'s story of the [[Battle of Waterloo]] from ''Les Châtiments'', in ''[[Asterix in Belgium]];'' and [[Théodore Géricault]]'s ''[[The Raft of the Medusa]]''), as well as historical personalities ([[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]], [[Louis XIV of France]]), and famous places (the [[Moulin Rouge]], [[Bethlehem]]) and the [[Statue of Liberty]] (played by Asterix). However, in many other respects the series reflects life in 1st century BC fairly accurately for the medium. For example, the multi-storied apartments in Rome — the [[insulae]] — which have Obelix remarking that one man's roof is another man's floor, and consequently, "These Romans are crazy": his favourite line. This line itself is also an intrinsic joke on [[Rome]] and the Romans, as its [[Italian Language|Italian]] equivalent is "Sono pazzi questi romani", which, like the banner of the Roman Empire ("Senatus Populusque Romanus"), abbreviates as "[[SPQR]]". On the other hand, the presence of chimneys in the Gaulish huts is not accurate, as they used [[gable]]d openings in the roof to let smoke escape. Also it is now believed [[menhir]]s were erected long before the Gauls. It was reported in September 2007 that an archaeological dig in [[Corent]] near [[Lyon]], [[France]] revealed the society of the [[Gauls]] to be, in reality, more advanced than the Asterix series of books had suggested.<ref>{{Citation | last = Stares | first = Justin | author-link = | last2 = | first2 = | author2-link = | title = Revealedix: the Gaul of Asterix was no joke | newspaper = [[Daily Telegraph]] | pages = | year = 2007 | date = September 2, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-09-02 | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/02/wgaul102.xml }}</ref> The text also makes relatively regular use of original [[List of Latin phrases|Latin phrases]], and allusions to Julius Caesar's ''[[De Bello Gallico]]'', a book about the conquest of Gaul, often used as an introductory text to [[Latin]]. Some jokes are made about Caesar's use of the [[Third-person narrative|third person]] to write about himself. Other Latin phrases used by the legionaries are quotations from the [[Vulgate]] which have passed into proverbs. Such allusions were likely to be well-received by the better-educated sections of the French and Belgian public in the 1960s, when the teaching of Latin was still widespread in high schools. ===Puns in names=== :''This section deals with puns in the [[English language|English]] translations, which are usually different from their [[French language|French]] counterparts.'' {{details|English translations of Asterix}} <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Asterix-Main_Gaul_characters.jpeg|thumb|300px|From left to right: Geriatrix, Unhygienix, Obelix, Dogmatix (dog), Asterix, Vitalstatistix, Getafix, Fulliautomatix and Cacofonix (the porters are unnamed)]] --> A key feature of the ''Asterix'' books in all translations are the constant [[pun]]s used as names: the names of the two protagonists come from [[asterisk]] and [[obelisk]], Asterix being the star of the books ([[Latin]] ''aster'' — derived from the [[Greek language|Greek]] word αστήρ (aster) [star] and [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] ''rix'' [king, cognate to Latin ''rex'', [[Sanskrit]] ''rājā'' and related to [[German language|German]] ''Reich'' and English ''reign'']), and Obelix being a [[menhir]] delivery-man. This is a double pun, since as well as meaning a stone monolith, the word ''obelisk'' can also refer to the [[dagger (typography)|typographical dagger]] (†) that is often used to denote the second footnote on a page after an ''asterisk'' (*) has been used to reference the first. (Although Uderzo has said that "Goscinny just wanted to make sure that our work would appear first in an encyclopaedia of comics."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7049642.stm BBC News: The vital statistics of Asterix]</ref>) Some people make the mistake of saying "asterix" instead of the English "asterisk" or French "asterisque". <ref>http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ast%C3%A9risque#_ref-0</ref> Each cultural group in Asterix has a characteristic ending for names (though there are occasionally notable exceptions). Nearly all the male Gaulish characters' names end in ''-ix'' (probably a reference to real-life Gaulish chieftains such as [[Vercingetorix]] although only the names of Gaulish kings — and not even all of them — ended in ''-ix'', and when they did, it was always ''-rix''). Other English language examples include the chief ([[recurring characters in Asterix#Vitalstatistix|Vitalstatistix]]), the druid ([[recurring characters in Asterix#Getafix|Getafix]]), and an old man ([[recurring characters in Asterix#Geriatrix|Geriatrix]]) with a young wife, who is never named.<ref>A common misunderstanding is that she is named Myopia, because of a panel in ''[[Asterix and the Soothsayer]]'' where Impedimenta said to her: ''"Oh, Myopia!"''. However, as explained in the album itself, Impedimenta was invoking the name of a Gaulish goddess, "acknowledging [[myopia|shortsightedness]]."</ref> Most Gaulish women's names end in "a', such as Bacteria, Impedimenta, and Influenza. Roman characters' names end with ''-us'' as in ''Noxious Vapus'', ''Crismus Bonus'', ''Sendervictorius'' and ''Appianglorius''. Normans use ''-af'' (Bathyscaf, Toocleverbyhaf, Timandahaf), Vikings use "-ssen" (Herendthelessen, Haroldwilssen), Egyptians use ''-is'' (Edifis, Artifis), Greeks use ''-es'' or ''-os'' (Diabetes, Thermos), Britons use ''-ax'' (Hiphiphurrax, Dipsomaniax, Valueaddedtax, Selectivemploymenttax) and occasionally ''-os'' ([[Cassivelaunus|Cassivelaunos]], Mykingdomforanos), Goths use ''-ic'' (Rhetoric, Choleric, Electric, Metric) and Spaniards use [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-sounding names such as Huevos Y Bacon ("Eggs and Bacon"). Female names also have consistent endings, but these are different from male names and generally end in -a: for instance the wife of the Roman Osseus Humerus is Fibula, the wife of village fishmonger [[recurring characters in Asterix#Unhygenix|Unhygenix]] is [[recurring characters in Asterix#Bacteria|Bacteria]], and the wife of Chief Vitalstatistix is [[recurring characters in Asterix#Impedimenta|Impedimenta]]. Many names stand as solitary puns on their characters, like Getafix (who provides medicine and potions for the village) or Geriatrix — particularly with recurring characters, while others are simply [[Surreal humour|absurdist]] such as "Spurius Brontosaurus", and some in groups play on each other, as in the example of a Roman guard talking through a closed door to another guard: ''"Open up, Sendervictorius! It's me, Appianglorius!"'' This is a pun on lines from the UK's national anthem ''[[God Save the Queen]]'': ''"Send her victorious, happy and glorious..."''. Other names are puns derived from historical or literary quotations. An example is the British chief Mykingdomforanos whose name is a reference to the line ''"A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!"'' from [[Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]''. ===Representing languages=== The speech of characters is written using [[lettering]] according to the language spoken (although no difference appears between the language of the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] and the [[Gauls]] themselves, unlike in the Italian translation, where the Romans are given 20th century Roman accents). The Gauls cannot automatically understand certain languages even though the reader will understand. * [[Iberians|Iberian]]: Sentences start with upside-down [[exclamation mark]]s ('¡') or [[question mark]]s ('¿'), as in real [[Spanish language|Spanish]] * [[Goths|Goth]]: [[blackletter]] ''(language barrier with Gauls)'' * [[Viking]]: Ø and Å characters are used for O and A ''(language barrier with Gauls)'' * [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]]: Pictograms ''(language barrier with Gauls)'' * [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]]: [[Egyptian hieroglyphs|hieroglyphics]] with footnotes ''(language barrier with Gauls)'' * [[Greek language|Greek]]: as if carved, with no curves and a minimum of strokes. * [[English Language|Britton]]: adjectives are used before nouns, contrary to usual French syntax. The names of characters in Asterix, aside from being [[pun]]s, usually have suffixes representing their nationalities. * [[Britons (historic)|Britons]]: -ax (''m''); -a (''f'') * [[Egyptians]]: -ep, -is, -ut, -up, -et :In the original it is more consistent (-is) * [[Gaul]]s: -ix (''m''); -a (''f'') :In Roman times Gaul, while centred on modern [[France]] (which includes [[Corsica]]), also included modern [[Switzerland]], most of [[Belgium]], and parts of western Germany and northern Italy — a fact the authors acknowledge by using the same suffix for the [[Belgians]], [[Swiss (people)|Swiss]] and [[Corsicans]]. :In the original (and most translations) -ine is most often used for female names * [[Goths]]: -ric * [[Greeks]]: -os, -as, -es (''m''); -a (''f'') * [[Iberians]]: -on * [[Republic of India|Indians]]: -it, -at (''m''); -ade (''f'') * [[Normans]]: -af * [[Persians]]: -es * [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]: -us (''m''); -a (''f'') * [[Viking]]s: -ssen (''m''); -ard, -ude (''f'') :Cultural references indicate these (in ''[[Asterix and the Great Crossing]]'') are [[Danes]] rather than the [[Norsemen]] of ''[[Asterix and the Normans]]'' ===Running gags=== A number of running gags recur in various albums. One of these is that the bard Cacofonix is inspired to sing whenever Asterix and Obelix leave or come back from a grand journey, but is usually prevented from performing by Fulliautomatix (the blacksmith). When an adventure concludes, the village holds a banquet, but the bard is nearly always seen tied up and gagged so as not to disrupt the festivities (most notable exceptions in ''[[Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield]]'', where it is Chief Vitalstatistix who is missing from the banquet, ''[[Asterix the Legionary]]'' where a love-struck Asterix is sitting in a tree dreamily, ''[[Asterix and the Normans]]'', where his help proved vital in stopping the Normans, ''[[Asterix at the Olympic Games]]'', where he is merely held at bay by Fulliautomatix's hammer, ''[[Asterix and Caesar's Gift]]'', where he is given the unique opportunity to court a pretty girl, ''[[Asterix and the Magic Carpet]]'', where he, Asterix and Obelix were in another country at the time, and ''[[Asterix and the Falling Sky]]'', where his hut had been destroyed and Unhygienix and Fulliautomatix were tied up instead as 'punishment'). There is also Obelix tapping his forehead and muttering "These [people] are crazy" every time he learns something new about the land he is visiting and their people. His most common targets are the Romans, which is ironic because they consider the Gauls as being the crazy ones. Another running gag among legionaries is to express their discontent with a military life far less interesting than what was promised with (in French) “Engagez-vous, rengagez-vous, qu'ils disaient!” (tentative translation: "enlist, re-enlist, they told us!"). In the official English translation, this is stated as "Join up, they said! It's a man's life, they said!". It was revealed in the first volume, ''[[Asterix the Gaul]]'', that Obelix fell into a cauldron of magic potion as an infant, giving him super-human strength for life. Yet no matter how often Getafix explains that due to this exceptional circumstance, he cannot have any more potion, Obelix is jealous of Asterix and the other villagers and always tries to sneak some anyway. His various schemes to trick Getafix into letting him have a dose of potion are an ongoing joke in the series. Despite feeble attempts at disguising himself or simply begging, Obelix is always stopped by Getafix before he can drink any (the disastrous effects of Obelix ingesting any potion are seen in ''[[Asterix and Obelix All at Sea]]''). In ''[[Asterix and Cleopatra]]'', Getafix gives him some, but only a few drops, in order to escape from the inside of a pyramid. Obelix claims to not feel very different afterwards. Another running gag is a group of [[Recurring characters in Asterix#The Pirates|pirates]] that tend to get caught in the middle of conflict and have their ship sunk. Despite their best attempts to steer clear of "any Gaulish vessels," the hapless pirates inevitably encounter a ship with Asterix and Obelix in it and wind up getting sunk. Sometimes the pirates lose their ship without Asterix or Obelix, however. In ''[[Asterix and the Roman Agent]]'', they attack a ship carrying a Roman agent, who points at a random crew member and states he gave him a bagful of gold if he would not attack the agent. In the ensuing battle over the nonexistent bag of gold, the pirates sink their own ship. In ''[[Asterix and the Cauldron]]'', tired of being sunk, they give up pirating completely and open a ship-themed restaurant. Asterix and Obelix arrive in search of something and despite their initial attempts at being good hosts, they are soon persuaded to return to the oceans. As their ship slips inevitably beneath the waves after an encounter with the Gauls and they cling to floating debris, the elderly mate always makes an observation in Latin, usually a well-known aphorism or verse lifted from a famous author like Horace or Virgil. The pirates were originally conceived as a one-shot parody of the comic-book [[Redbeard (comics)|Barbe-Rouge]] but proved so popular that they were fully integrated into the Asterix series. In ''[[Asterix the Legionary]]'', after their ship was sunk, the pirates were left in a raft resembling the painting ''[[The Raft of the Medusa]]'' by [[Théodore Géricault]]. In this particular image the captain even makes the pun: "We've been framed, by Jericho!". In ''[[Asterix and Cleopatra]]'' the pirates scuttle the ship themselves rather than be attacked by the Gauls again, the captain reasoning once that it "Saves us a few knocks, and comes to the same thing in the end". These pirates — most notably the red-bearded captain, the constantly Latin-quoting peg-legged second-in-command, and the African lookout — are caricatures of the characters of "[[Barbe Rouge]], Le Démon des Caraïbes", a pirate series that was published at the same time in ''[[Pilote]],'' the weekly comics magazine in which Asterix appeared, and which Goscinny also edited. ===Revisionist explanations=== In the albums, some historical facts are retold, and attributed to Asterix and Obelix. *In ''[[Asterix and Cleopatra]]'', when visiting Egypt, Obelix scales the [[Great Sphinx of Giza#Missing nose|sphinx]]. As he is about to mount the sphinx's nose it breaks off and falls to the ground. Immediately all the nearby souvenir-shops chisel off the noses of their souvenir sphinxes in order to maintain the resemblance to the real monument. *At the end of the same book, Asterix asks Cleopatra to call upon his countrymen if she needs anything built, such as a canal between the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] and the [[Red Sea]] — describing the [[Suez Canal]] (which was built by a French company). *In ''[[Asterix in Spain]]'', Asterix finds himself in a circus in front of an [[aurochs]]. He evades the bull nicely, and gets applause from the audience. A guest of the Roman general drops her red cape in the arena. When Asterix wants to hand it back, the bull reacts and is finished after some dancing moves of Asterix, who is trying to save the cape from getting dirty, giving the first bullfight. *In the same book, Unhygienix the fishmonger agrees to take payment for his boat rental in menhirs, as he wants to develop land on [[Salisbury Plain]] — which explains the mystery of [[Stonehenge]]. (In the French original, the land in question is at [[Carnac]] in [[Brittany]].) An alternate explanation is proffered in ''[[Asterix and Son]]''. *In ''[[Asterix and the Banquet]]'' (Le Tour de Gaule) Obelix travels with Asterix around Gaul with a yellow knapsack on his back, as if wearing the [[yellow jersey]] in the modern [[Tour de France]], complete with a white square patch on the backside, where we can imagine the cyclist's number. *In ''[[Asterix in Switzerland]]'', Asterix manages to carry an unconscious Obelix through the Alps, by tying ropes around himself, Obelix, and their guides, creating a famous technique in mountain-climbing. Asterix and Obelix also hide in the secure bank locker of Zurix (after [[Zurich Financial Services]]). *In the same adventure above, the precision of Swiss watches and clocks is alluded to by the fact that the innkeeper who helps the duo never forgets to remind his customers to turn their hourglasses. *In ''[[Asterix in Belgium]]'', the chieftain of Asterix's Belgian hosts gains inspiration for ''frites'' ([[French fries]]) and [[mussel]]s, Belgium's two most famous culinary ambassadors, from a vat of boiling oil prepared as a Roman weapon, and a damp wooden plank belonging to the pirates. This was from their ship that was sunk by a rock Obelix tried to throw at a Roman camp on the coast, but missed. (Note that [[potato]]es were unknown in Europe at the time.) *In ''[[Asterix and the Goths]]'', Getafix makes sure that the Goths are pushed into political turmoil so that they may never again regroup as a powerful nation and attack others. This is a reference to the strategy pursued by [[Cardinal Richelieu|Richelieu]] in the 17th century to prevent the various German principalities from uniting and posing a threat to the power of France. Particularly accurate is the use of equal support towards all contenders, reflecting the notion of [[balance of power in international relations|balance of power]] that was at the core of Richelieu's strategy. *In ''[[Asterix and the Laurel Wreath]]'', Asterix and Obelix accidentally invent the potion to get rid of alcoholic [[hangover]]s. This is still an active area of research with geneticists trying to identify the gene responsible for hangovers. In an epilogue, it is stated that the potion became so widespread, and the Romans so dependent on it, that it actually caused the decline of the Roman Empire. *In ''[[Asterix and the Normans]]'', Justforkix, nephew of Vitalstatistix, arrives in an Italian chariot built for speed (a "sports cart"), an allusion to the famous Italian speedsters such as [[Ferrari]] and [[Lamborghini]]. *In ''[[Obelix and Co.]]'', the effect of globalisation on rural (Asterix's village) and urban (Rome's) economies is portrayed. At the end of the story, the Roman Empire is on the verge of bankruptcy due to buying menhirs which nobody wants. * In ''[[Asterix at the Olympic Games]]'', the use of Magic Potion is banned in the games but the Roman contingent still uses it. They are caught and disqualified owing to the fact that Getafix added a blue dye to the potion which coloured the tongues of the Romans. This reflects the burning issue of the use of performance enhancing drugs and their detection in modern sports. A few panel in the books shows some of the references to the modern [[Olympic Games]] such as the parade of nations, the podium, the Olympic village, and the [[Olympic Oath]]. * In ''[[Asterix and the Black Gold]]'', Asterix, Obelix and Dubbelosix rest for some time in a stable in Bethlehem (as in [[The Nativity]]). The first [[oil slick]] in history occurs when the oil collected by Asterix and Obelix squirts out in a struggle. A bird drenched in oil cries out "Oi! Don't say you are starting already?!" * In ''[[Asterix and the Secret Weapon]]'', the village women "stand up" for their rights spurred on by Bravura, a female [[bard]] from Lutetia who wears breeches (trousers in the modern world). Caesar commissions a secret legion of women soldiers to exploit the famous Gaulish gallantry and thereby conquer the village. *In ''[[Asterix and Caesar's Gift]]'', Cacofonix composes the protest anthem "[[We Shall Overcome]]", which became the US civil rights movement song. *A recurring joke is references to the [[assassination]] of [[Julius Caesar]] by [[Marcus Junius Brutus|Brutus]]. In ''[[Asterix the Gladiator]]'', Julius Caesar orders Brutus to join in the crowd's applause for him using the famous Shakespearean phrase "[[Et tu, Brute?|Et tu Brute]]". In ''[[Asterix and the Soothsayer]]'' a fortune-teller vouches for Brutus's fidelity to Caesar ("And remember, Caesar: as long as Brutus is behind you, you will have nothing to fear!"). In ''[[Asterix and the Roman Agent]]'', Caesar tells Brutus to stop handling his knife or he'll injure himself, and Brutus mutters threateningly under his breath, "One of these days..."; in the French version he referred to Brutus as "my son", something which some historians have suggested may have been the case. *In ''[[Asterix in Britain]]'', Asterix's cousin speaks about building an underwater tunnel from Dover to France and says that it's a dream project which he hopes to achieve some day. This is a reference to the modern [[channel tunnel]] (which wasn't built at the time the album was written). *In the same book, Getafix gives Asterix some herbs to take to Britain. At the time Britons drink just hot water, sometimes with a drop of milk. Asterix loses the barrel of magic potion and simply adds Getafix's herbs to their hot water instead as a morale booster. When they return to Gaul, Getafix informs Asterix that the herbs are called [[tea]]. *There is also a scene where Asterix and Obelix are being chased by the Romans through Britain. There is a cutaway with the caption, "Somewhere near [[London]]", and a Briton cutting individual blades of grass with a finger-sized scythe. He says to himself, "Another 2,000 years of loving care and this will make a decent bit of turf!", a reference to [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]]. In the next frame Asterix, Obelix and the Roman army all trample over it, ruining the sod completely. *In ''[[Asterix and the Great Crossing]]'', Asterix signals to a Viking ship, on a small island off the coast of North America. He stands with a raised torch atop a pile of stones, holding a folded map under his arm. This represents the [[Statue of Liberty]], a gift from the French to the Americans. *In ''[[Asterix and the Cauldron]]'', Obelix suggests a good money-earner might arise from the telling of their adventures, a reference to the popularity of Asterix and Obelix. Obelix, however, assigns himself a more prominent place in the title of the series. [[Image:Asterixchips.JPG|thumb|Asterix ham and cheese-flavored potato chips]] ==Influence== *The first [[France|French]] satellite, which was launched in 1965, was named ''[[Astérix (satellite)|Asterix-1]]'' in honour of Asterix. *During the campaign for [[Paris]] to host the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] Asterix appeared in many posters over the [[Eiffel Tower]]. *[[Parc Astérix]] is a popular [[amusement park]] near Paris *The French company [[Belin (company)|Belin]] introduced a series of "Asterix" [[potato chips]] shaped in the forms of [[scutum (shield)|Roman shields]], [[gourd]]s, [[wild boar]], and [[bone]]s. *Asterix and Obelix appeared on the cover of ''[[Time Magazine]]'' for a special edition about [[France]]. * The animated series, ''[[Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears]]'', also concerns an oppressed group in possession of a magic potion capable of conferring superhuman strength and agility. * The [[2006 FIFA World Cup]] final between France and Italy was depicted as a fight between Roman legions and Gaulish villagers in newspapers * Version 4.0 of the operating system [[OpenBSD]] features a parody of an Asterix story.<ref>[http://www.openbsd.org/40.html OpenBSD 4.0 homepage]</ref> * [[Action Comics]] Number 579, published by [[DC Comics]] in 1986, Written by [[Jean-Marc Lofficier|Lofficier]] and Illustrated by [[Keith Giffen]] featured a homage to Asterix where [[Superman]] and [[Jimmy Olsen]] are drawn back in time to a small village of indomitable Gauls. ==See also== * [[List of Asterix volumes|Detailed list of the Asterix Volumes]] * [[List of Asterix films]] * [[List of Asterix games]] * [[English translations of Asterix]] * [[Roman Gaul]], after Julius Caesar's conquest of 58–51 BC that consisted of five provinces. ==Sources== {{refbegin}} * [http://bdoubliees.com/journalpilote/series1/asterix.htm ''Astérix'' publications in ''Pilote''] BDoubliées {{fr_icon}} * [http://www.bedetheque.com/serie-59-BD-Asterix.html ''Astérix'' albums] Bedetheque {{fr_icon}} {{refend}} ;Footnotes {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons|Asterix}}{{wikiquote}} * [http://www.asterix.com/ Asterix official site] * [http://www.asterix-obelix.nl/ Asterix around the World &ndash; The many languages] * [http://www.asterix.co.nz/ Asterix NZ]&ndash; General Reference site for English speaking Fans * [http://openscroll.org/asterix/ The Asterix Annotations] &ndash; album-by-album explanations of all the historical references and obscure in-jokes * [http://www.gthomas.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ Alea Jacta Est (Asterix for grown-ups)] Each Asterix book is examined in detail * [http://www.mage.fst.uha.fr/asterix/allusion/allusion.html Les allusions culturelles dans Astérix] - Cultural allusions {{fr_icon}} * [http://asterix.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Asterix Wikia] {{Asterix|Asterix|type=char}} [[Category:French comics]] [[Category:French comic strips]] [[Category:Pilote titles]] [[Category:French superheroes]] [[Category:Asterix|*]] [[af:Asterix]] [[ast:Astérix el Galu]] [[bn:অ্যাস্টেরিক্স]] [[bg:Астерикс]] [[ca:Astèrix el gal]] [[cs:Asterix]] [[da:Asterix]] [[de:Asterix]] [[et:Asterix]] [[el:Αστερίξ]] [[es:Astérix el Galo]] [[eo:Asteriks]] [[eu:Asterix]] [[fa:ماجراهای آستریکس]] [[fr:Astérix le Gaulois]] [[gl:Astérix]] [[ko:아스테릭스]] [[hr:Asterix]] [[id:Asterix]] [[is:Ástríkur gallvaski]] [[it:Asterix il gallico]] [[he:אסטריקס]] [[la:Asterix]] [[lb:Astérix]] [[li:Asterix de Galliër]] [[hu:Asterix]] [[nl:Asterix]] [[ja:アステリックス]] [[no:Asterix]] [[nn:Asterix]] [[oc:Asterix lo gallés]] [[pl:Asterix]] [[pt:Asterix]] [[ksh:Asterix]] [[ru:Астерикс]] [[sq:Asterix]] [[simple:Asterix]] [[sk:Asterixove dobrodružstvá]] [[sr:Астерикс]] [[fi:Asterix seikkailee]] [[sv:Asterix]] [[tl:Asterix]] [[tr:Galyalı Asteriks'in Maceraları]] [[vls:Asterix]] [[zh:阿斯泰利克斯历险记]]