Albert Uderzo
Encyclopedia
Albert Uderzo is a French comic book
artist, and scriptwriter. He is best known for his work on the Astérix
series, but also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah
, also in collaboration with René Goscinny
.
(Marne
, France), to parents, Silvio and Iria, who had recently immigrated from Italy. His name comes from the Italian village called Oderzo
(formerly called Uderzo), where his family tree can be traced. His childhood ambitions were to become an aircraft mechanic, despite his talents in art at an early age.
Uderzo obtained French citizenship in 1934, and during World War II
, the teenaged Uderzo left Paris and spent a year in Brittany
, where he worked on a farm and helped with his father's furniture business. He loved Brittany, both for its scenery and its people. Many years later, when the time came to choose a location for Asterix's village, Goscinny left the decision entirely to Uderzo, only stipulating that it should be near the sea in case the characters needed to travel by boat. Uderzo had no hesitation in choosing Brittany.
Uderzo began a successful career as an artist in Paris after the war in 1945, with creations such as Flamberge and also Clopinard, a small one-legged old man who triumphs against the odds. In 1947-48 he created some other comics, such as Belloy and Arys Buck.
in 1951. The two men quickly became good friends, and decided to work together in 1952 at the newly opened Paris office of the Belgian company, World Press. Their first creations were the characters Oumpah-pah
, Jehan Pistolet and Luc Junior. In 1958 they adapted Oumpah-pah for serial publication in the comics magazine
Tintin
, though it ran only until 1962. In 1959 Goscinny and Uderzo became editor and artistic director (respectively) of Pilote
, a new venture aimed at older children. The magazine's first issue introduced Astérix to the French world, and it was an instant hit. During this period Uderzo also collaborated with Jean-Michel Charlier
on the realistic series Michel Tanguy
, later named Les Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure.
Astérix was serialised in Pilote, but in 1961 the first album Astérix le gaulois (Asterix the Gaul) was published as an individual album. By 1967, the comic had become so popular that both decided to wholly dedicate their time to the series. After Goscinny's death in 1977, Uderzo continued to write and illustrate the books on his own, though at a significantly slower pace (averaging one album every 3 to 5 years compared to 2 albums a year when working with Goscinny). The cover credits still read "Goscinny and Uderzo".
on Ada and Sylvie respectively, though this has been denied by Uderzo. When Uderzo sold his share of Editions Albert René to Hachette Livre
, Sylvie accused him in a column in Le Monde
, that with this action it was "as if the gates of the Gaulish village had been thrown open to the Roman Empire". Sylvie owns 40% of Editions Albert René, while the remaining 60%, previously owned by Uderzo and by Goscinny's daughter, is currently owned by Hachette Livre.
Uderzo has a brother, Marcel, himself a cartoonist.
Asterix and the Falling Sky
was dedicated to his late brother Bruno (1920–2004).
) are damaging his brands "Asterix" and "Obelix". (One side of the story.) In a different controversy, Albert Uderzo sued a publisher of a parody into bankruptcy. (Remarks on the legal proceedings (German)).
According to the UNESCO
's Index Translationum
, Uderzo is the 10th most often translated French language author and the third most often translated French language comics author behind René Goscinny
and Hergé
.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist, and scriptwriter. He is best known for his work on the Astérix
Asterix
Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo . The series first appeared in French in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959...
series, but also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah
Oumpah-pah
Oumpah-pah le Peau-Rouge is a comics series created by comics artist Albert Uderzo and comics author René Goscinny, best known as the creators of Asterix the Gaul. The series first appeared in the weekly Journal de Tintin in 1958 though it remained serialised for a relatively short time...
, also in collaboration with René Goscinny
René Goscinny
René Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
.
Early life
Uderzo was born Alberto Aleandro Uderzo in FismesFismes
Fismes is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.- Economy :Many agricultural zones of the region may soon become a section of the zone for production of Champagne.- Antiquity :...
(Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
, France), to parents, Silvio and Iria, who had recently immigrated from Italy. His name comes from the Italian village called Oderzo
Oderzo
Oderzo is a town and comune in the province of Treviso, Veneto, northern Italy.It lies in the heart of the Venetian plain, about 66 km to the northeast of Venice...
(formerly called Uderzo), where his family tree can be traced. His childhood ambitions were to become an aircraft mechanic, despite his talents in art at an early age.
Uderzo obtained French citizenship in 1934, and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the teenaged Uderzo left Paris and spent a year in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, where he worked on a farm and helped with his father's furniture business. He loved Brittany, both for its scenery and its people. Many years later, when the time came to choose a location for Asterix's village, Goscinny left the decision entirely to Uderzo, only stipulating that it should be near the sea in case the characters needed to travel by boat. Uderzo had no hesitation in choosing Brittany.
Uderzo began a successful career as an artist in Paris after the war in 1945, with creations such as Flamberge and also Clopinard, a small one-legged old man who triumphs against the odds. In 1947-48 he created some other comics, such as Belloy and Arys Buck.
Working with Goscinny
Throughout some more creations and travelling for the next few years, he eventually met René GoscinnyRené Goscinny
René Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
in 1951. The two men quickly became good friends, and decided to work together in 1952 at the newly opened Paris office of the Belgian company, World Press. Their first creations were the characters Oumpah-pah
Oumpah-pah
Oumpah-pah le Peau-Rouge is a comics series created by comics artist Albert Uderzo and comics author René Goscinny, best known as the creators of Asterix the Gaul. The series first appeared in the weekly Journal de Tintin in 1958 though it remained serialised for a relatively short time...
, Jehan Pistolet and Luc Junior. In 1958 they adapted Oumpah-pah for serial publication in the comics magazine
Franco-Belgian comics magazines
Belgium and France have a long tradition in comics. They have a common history for comics and magazines.In the early years of its history, magazines had a large place on the comics market and were often the only place where comics were published. Most of them were kids-targeted.In the 1970s,...
Tintin
Tintin (magazine)
Le journal de Tintin or Kuifje , was a weekly Belgian comics magazine of the second half of the 20th century...
, though it ran only until 1962. In 1959 Goscinny and Uderzo became editor and artistic director (respectively) of Pilote
Pilote
thumb|Cover of the first Pilote teaser issue, #0.Pilote was a French comics periodical published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois, Blueberry, Achille Talon, and Valérian et...
, a new venture aimed at older children. The magazine's first issue introduced Astérix to the French world, and it was an instant hit. During this period Uderzo also collaborated with Jean-Michel Charlier
Jean-Michel Charlier
Jean-Michel Charlier was a Belgian script writer best known as a writer of realistic European comics. He was a co-founder of the famed European comics magazine Pilote.-Biography:...
on the realistic series Michel Tanguy
Tanguy et Laverdure
Les Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure is a Franco-Belgian comics series created by Jean-Michel Charlier and Albert Uderzo, about the two pilots Michel Tanguy and Ernest Laverdure, and their adventures in the French Air Force.-Publication history:...
, later named Les Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure.
Astérix was serialised in Pilote, but in 1961 the first album Astérix le gaulois (Asterix the Gaul) was published as an individual album. By 1967, the comic had become so popular that both decided to wholly dedicate their time to the series. After Goscinny's death in 1977, Uderzo continued to write and illustrate the books on his own, though at a significantly slower pace (averaging one album every 3 to 5 years compared to 2 albums a year when working with Goscinny). The cover credits still read "Goscinny and Uderzo".
Family
Uderzo is married to Ada and has one daughter, Sylvie Uderzo. According to The Book of Asterix the Gaul, it was speculated that Uderzo had based the characters Panacea and ZazaAsterix and Caesar's Gift
Asterix and Caesar's Gift is the twenty-first volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was the first Asterix adventure that was not published in serial form in Pilote prior to its publication as a book.-The gift of Caesar:The story begins c...
on Ada and Sylvie respectively, though this has been denied by Uderzo. When Uderzo sold his share of Editions Albert René to Hachette Livre
Hachette Livre
-France:*Calmann-Lévy*Deux Coqs d'Or*Disney Hachette Edition*EDICEF*Editions 1*Editions du Chêne**E.P.A*Éditions Dunod*Editions Foucher*Editions Stock*Fayard**Editions Mille et Une Nuits**Editions Mazarine**Pauvert*Gautier-Languereau*Grasset...
, Sylvie accused him in a column in Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
, that with this action it was "as if the gates of the Gaulish village had been thrown open to the Roman Empire". Sylvie owns 40% of Editions Albert René, while the remaining 60%, previously owned by Uderzo and by Goscinny's daughter, is currently owned by Hachette Livre.
Uderzo has a brother, Marcel, himself a cartoonist.
Asterix and the Falling Sky
Asterix and the Falling Sky
Asterix and the Falling Sky is the thirty-third volume of the Asterix comic book series, by Albert Uderzo . It was released on October 14, 2005....
was dedicated to his late brother Bruno (1920–2004).
Lawsuits in Germany
Some controversy has risen in Germany, where Albert Uderzo's own publishing company, Les Éditions Albert René, is claiming in court that certain IT companies whose name end in "ix" (not unnatural in companies who work with UnixUnix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
) are damaging his brands "Asterix" and "Obelix". (One side of the story.) In a different controversy, Albert Uderzo sued a publisher of a parody into bankruptcy. (Remarks on the legal proceedings (German)).
Awards
- 1985: Awarded the Knight of the Legion of HonourLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. - 2005: Inducted into the Eisner AwardEisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
Hall of Fame, U.S. - 2007: Awarded the Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
According to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's Index Translationum
Index Translationum
The Index Translationum is UNESCO's database of book translations. Books have been translated for thousands of years, with no central record of the fact. The League of Nations established a record of translations in 1932. In 1946, the United Nations superseded the League and UNESCO was assigned the...
, Uderzo is the 10th most often translated French language author and the third most often translated French language comics author behind René Goscinny
René Goscinny
René Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
and Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
.
External links
- Astérix official site
- Albert Uderzo biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
- Short biography on Uderzo, pre-1977