The Adventures of Asterix is a
series of
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
comic stripA comic strip is a sequence of cartoons that tells a story, often humorous, though adventures and soap opera-like dramas are also prevalent. They are written and drawn by a comics artist or cartoonist, and many are published on a recurring basis in newspapers and on the Internet.In the UK and the...
s written by
René GoscinnyRené Goscinny was a French author, editor and humorist, 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 .-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family of Polish and Jewish...
and illustrated by
Albert UderzoAlbert 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.-Early life:...
(Uderzo also took over the job of writing the series after the death of Goscinny in 1977). The series first appeared in French in the magazine
Pilotethumb|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...
on 29 October 1959. As of 2008, 33 comic books in the series have been released.
The series follows the exploits of a village of ancient
GaulGaul is a historical name used in the context of the Roman Empire in references to the region of Western Europe approximating present day France and Belgium, but also sometimes including the Po Valley, western Switzerland, and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River...
s as they resist
RomanThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
occupation. They do so by means of a magic potion, brewed by their
druidA druid was a member of the priestly and learned class active in Gaul, and perhaps in Celtic culture more generally, during the final centuries BCE...
, which gives the recipient superhuman strength. The protagonist, the titular character,
AsterixAsterix is a fictional character, the titular hero of the French comic book series The Adventures of Asterix.The series portrays him as a diminutive but fearless Gaulish warrior living in the time of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Asterix was created in 1959 by writer René Goscinny and illustrator...
, along with his friend
ObelixObelix a fictional character from the French comic book series Asterix. He works as a menhir sculptor and deliveryman, and is Asterix' best friend. Obelix is noted for his obesity, the menhirs he carries around on his back and his superhuman strength...
have various adventures. In many cases, this leads them to travel to various countries around the world, though other books are set in and around their village.
The Asterix series is one of the most popular
Franco-Belgian comicsFranco-Belgian comics are comics that are created in Belgium and France. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books, where they are known as BDs, an abbreviation of bande dessinée in French and stripverhalen in Dutch...
in the world, with the series being translated into over 100 languages, and it is popular in most
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
an countries. Asterix is less well known in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The success of the series has led to the adaptation of several books into 11 films; eight animated, and three with live actors. There have also been a number of
games based on the characters, and a theme park near Paris,
Parc AstérixParc Astérix is a theme amusement park in France, based on the stories of Asterix . Situated approximately 35 km north of Paris and 32km from Disneyland Resort Paris, in Plailly in the département of Oise, it opened in 1989...
, is themed around the series. To date, 325 million copies of 33 Asterix books have been sold around the world making co-creators Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo France's bestselling authors abroad.
History
Prior to creating the Asterix series, Goscinny and Uderzo had previously had success with their series
Oumpah-pahOumpah-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 remained serialised for a relatively short time...
, which was published in the
TintinLe journal de Tintin or Kuifje , was a weekly Belgian comics magazine of the second half of the 20th century...
magazine.
Astérix was originally serialised in the magazine
Pilotethumb|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...
, in the very first issue published on 29 October 1959. In 1961 the first book was put together entitled
Asterix the GaulAsterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix comic strip series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:All of Gaul is divided into three parts...
. From then on, books were released generally on a yearly basis.
Uderzo's first sketches portrayed Asterix as a huge and strong traditional Gaulish warrior. But Goscinny had a different picture in his mind. He visualized Asterix as a shrewd small sized warrior who would prefer intelligence over strength. However, Uderzo felt that the small sized hero needed a strong but dull companion to which Goscinny agreed. Hence, Obelix was born..
When Goscinny died, Uderzo continued the series alone, though on a less frequent basis. Although Uderzo declared he didn't want anyone to continue the series after his death, which is similar to the request
HergeGeorges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. "Hergé" is the French pronunciation of "RG", his initials reversed...
made regarding his
The Adventures of TintinThe Adventures of Tintin is a series of comic strips created by Belgian artist Hergé, the pen name of Georges Remi . The series first appeared in French in Le Petit Vingtième, a children's supplement to the Belgian newspaper on 10 January 1929...
, his attitude has now changed. This has provoked a family row. In a letter published in the french newspaper
Le MondeLe Monde is a French daily evening newspaper with a circulation of 371,803. It is considered the French newspaper of record, and is generally well respected, often the only French newspaper easily obtainable in non-Francophone countries....
, Uderzo's daughter, Sylvie, has attacked her father's decision for selling the family publishing firm and the rights to produce new
Astérix adventures after his death. She is reported as saying the co-creator of
Astérix, "France’s comic strip hero, has betrayed the Gaulish warrior to the modern-day Romans - the men of industry and finance”.
List of titles
Numbers 1 - 24 and 32 are by both Goscinny and Uderzo. Numbers 25 - 31 and 33-34 are solely the work of Uderzo. Years stated are for their initial release.
- 1. Asterix the Gaul
Asterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix comic strip series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:All of Gaul is divided into three parts...
(1959)
- 2. Asterix and the Golden Sickle
Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 42-74 in 1960.-Plot summary:...
(1960)
- 3. Asterix and the Goths
Asterix and the Goths is the third volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first published in 1963 in French and translated into English in 1974.-Plot summary:...
(1961-62)
- 4. Asterix the Gladiator
Asterix the Gladiator is the fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 126-168 in 1962.-Plot summary:...
(1962)
- 5. Asterix and the Banquet
Asterix and the Banquet is the fifth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo...
(1963)
- 6. Asterix and Cleopatra
Asterix and Cleopatra, the sixth book in the Asterix comic book series by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 215-257, in 1963.-Synopsis:...
(1963)
- 7. Asterix and the Big Fight
Asterix and the Big Fight is a French comic book, the seventh in the Asterix comic book series. It was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. Its original French title is Le Combat des chefs and it was first published in serial form in Pilote magazines issues 261-302 in 1964...
(1964)
- 8. Asterix in Britain
Asterix in Britain is the eighth in the Asterix comic book series. It was published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 307-334 in 1965, and in album form in 1966...
(1965)
- 9. Asterix and the Normans
Asterix and the Normans is the ninth book in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 340-361, in 1966...
(1966)
- 10. Asterix the Legionary
Asterix the Legionary is the tenth Asterix book in the Asterix comic book series by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published as a serial in Pilote magazine, issues 368-389, in 1966.-Synopsis:...
(1966)
- 11. Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield
Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield is the eleventh volume in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was originally published as a serial in Pilote issues 399-421 in 1967.The book is inspired by the battle of Alesia, where the Gaulish warrior chief...
(1967)
- 12. Asterix at the Olympic Games
Asterix at the Olympic Games is the 12th comic book album in the Asterix series. Serialized in Pilote issues 434-455 in 1968 , it was translated into English in 1972...
(1968)
- 13. Asterix and the Cauldron
Asterix and the Cauldron is the thirteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo...
(1968)
- 14. Asterix in Spain
Asterix in Spain is the fourteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 498-519 in 1969 and translated into English in 1971...
(1969)
- 15. Asterix and the Roman Agent
Asterix and the Roman Agent is the fifteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo...
(1970)
- 16. Asterix in Switzerland
Asterix in Switzerland is the sixteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 557–578 in 1970 and translated into English in 1973....
(1970)
- 17. The Mansions of the Gods
The Mansions of the Gods is the seventeenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo...
(1971)
- 18. Asterix and the Laurel Wreath
Asterix and the Laurel Wreath is the eighteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 621-642 in 1971 and translated in to English in 1974....
(1971)
- 19. Asterix and the Soothsayer
Asterix and the Soothsayer is the nineteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 652-673 in 1972.-Plot summary:...
(1972)
- 20. Asterix in Corsica
Asterix in Corsica is the twentieth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 687-708 in 1973...
(1973)
- 21. Asterix 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 .-The gift of Caesar:...
(1974)
- 22. Asterix and the Great Crossing
Asterix and the Great Crossing is the twenty-second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:...
(1975)
- Asterix Conquers Rome
Asterix Conquers Rome first published in 1976, was the comic book adaptation of the animated Asterix film The Twelve Tasks of Asterix and "unofficially" the twenty-third Asterix volume to be published. It has very rarely been printed and is not widely known even among Asterix fans...
(1976) - not canonical
- 23. Obelix and Co.
Obelix and Co. is the twenty-third volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . The book's main focus is on the attempts by the Gaul-occupying Romans to corrupt the one remaining village that still holds out against them by instilling capitalism.-Plot...
(1976)
- 24. Asterix in Belgium
Asterix in Belgium is the twenty-fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .It is noted as the last Asterix story Goscinny worked on...
(1979)
- 25. Asterix and the Great Divide
Asterix and the Great Divide is the twenty-fifth volume of the Asterix comic book series. It was first published in 1980.-Plot summary:In a village similar to Asterix's, two rival chiefs, Cleverdix and Majestix, have been elected...
(1980)
- 26. Asterix and the Black Gold
Asterix and the Black Gold is the twenty-sixth volume of Asterix comic book series, originally published in 1981. It is the second book to be published after the death of René Goscinny and is thus both written and drawn by Albert Uderzo.The book describes Asterix's and Obelix's voyage to the...
(1981)
- 27. Asterix and Son
Asterix and Son is the twenty-seventh volume of the Asterix comic book series, created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:In this story, a baby boy inexplicably appears at the porch of Asterix's house one morning...
(1983)
- 28. Asterix and the Magic Carpet
Asterix and the Magic Carpet is the twenty-eighth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first published in 1987...
(1987)
- How Obelix Fell into the Magic Potion When he was a Little Boy
How Obelix Fell into the Magic Potion When he was a Little Boy is an Asterix story written by René Goscinny and originally published in Pilote issue 291 in 1965 with only a few drawings...
(1989) - not canonical
- 29. Asterix and the Secret Weapon
Asterix and the Secret Weapon is the twenty-ninth volume of the Asterix comic book series and the fifth by Albert Uderzo alone. It parodies feminism and military secrets.-Plot summary:...
(1991)
- 30. Asterix and Obelix All at Sea
Asterix and Obelix All at Sea is the thirtieth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by Albert Uderzo. The album was dedicated to Uderzo's grandchild, as well as American actor Kirk Douglas.-Plot summary:...
(1996)
- 31. Asterix and the Actress
Asterix and the Actress is the 31st volume of the Asterix comic book series, by Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:The story starts with a few surprises: For Asterix and Obelix' birthday party, their parents have decided to come from Condatum...
(2001)
- 32. Asterix and the Class Act
Asterix and the Class Act is officially the thirty-second album of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo , published in 2003. Unlike the other Asterix books it is a compilation of short stories, rather than one long story...
(2003)
- 33. 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 is the newest book, having come out on October 14, 2005 around the world....
(2005)
- 34. The Birthday of Asterix and Obelix (2009)
Asterix Conquers RomeAsterix Conquers Rome first published in 1976, was the comic book adaptation of the animated Asterix film The Twelve Tasks of Asterix and "unofficially" the twenty-third Asterix volume to be published. It has very rarely been printed and is not widely known even among Asterix fans...
is a comic book adaptation of the animated film
The Twelve Tasks of AsterixThe Twelve Tasks of Asterix is an animated feature film based on the Asterix comic book series. René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, the creators of the series, wrote the story and directed the film themselves; with co-direction by Pierre Watrin and the screenplay co-written by Pierre Tchernia, a...
. It was released in 1976 making it technically the 23rd
Asterix volume to be published. But it has been rarely reprinted and is not considered to be
canonicalA canon, in terms of a fictional universe, is a body of material that is considered to be "genuine" or "official", that can be directly referenced as, or as if it were, material produced by the original author or creator of a series...
to the series. The only English translation ever to be published was in the
Asterix Annual 1980.
Synopsis and characters
The main setting for the series is an unnamed coastal village in
ArmoricaArmorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
, a province of
GaulGaul is a historical name used in the context of the Roman Empire in references to the region of Western Europe approximating present day France and Belgium, but also sometimes including the Po Valley, western Switzerland, and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River...
(modern
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
), in the year
50 BCYear 50 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar.-Rome:* Consuls: Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor.* The Senate refuses Julius Caesar permission to stand for consul in absentia, and demands that he lay down his command....
.
Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar , , was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
has conquered nearly all of Gaul for the
Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
, however the little Armorican village has held out because the villagers can gain temporary superhuman strength by drinking a magic potion brewed by the local village
druidA druid was a member of the priestly and learned class active in Gaul, and perhaps in Celtic culture more generally, during the final centuries BCE...
, Getafix.
The main protagonist, and hero of the village, is
AsterixAsterix is a fictional character, the titular hero of the French comic book series The Adventures of Asterix.The series portrays him as a diminutive but fearless Gaulish warrior living in the time of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Asterix was created in 1959 by writer René Goscinny and illustrator...
, who is usually entrusted with the most important affairs of the village, because of his shrewdness. He is aided in his adventures by his rather fat unintelligent friend
ObelixObelix a fictional character from the French comic book series Asterix. He works as a menhir sculptor and deliveryman, and is Asterix' best friend. Obelix is noted for his obesity, the menhirs he carries around on his back and his superhuman strength...
, who has permanent superhuman strength, as he fell into the cauldron of the potion as a baby. Obelix is usually accompanied by
DogmatixDogmatix is a fictional character, a tiny white dog who belongs to Obelix in the Asterix comics. Dogmatix is a pun on the words dog and dogmatic...
, his little dog.
Asterix and Obelix (and sometimes other members of the village), go on various adventures both within the village, and in far away lands. Places visited in the series include parts of Gaul (
LutetiaLutetia was a town in pre-Roman and Roman Gaul. The Gallo-Roman city was a forerunner of the re-established Merovingian town that is the ancestor of present-day Paris. Lutetia and Paris have little in common save their position where an island, the Île de la Cité, created a convenient ford of the...
,
CorsicaCorsica is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
etc), neighbouring nations (
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
,
BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
etc), and far away lands (
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
,
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
,
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
etc).
The series employs science-fiction and
fantasyFantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common...
elements in the more recent books, for instance the use of extraterrestrials in
Asterix and the Falling SkyAsterix and the Falling Sky is the thirty-third volume of the Asterix comic book series, by Albert Uderzo . It is the newest book, having come out on October 14, 2005 around the world....
and the city of
AtlantisAtlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias.In Plato's account, Atlantis was a naval power lying "in front of the Pillars of Hercules" that conquered many parts of Western Europe and Africa 9,000 years before the time of Solon, or approximately 9600 BC...
in
Asterix and Obelix All at SeaAsterix and Obelix All at Sea is the thirtieth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by Albert Uderzo. The album was dedicated to Uderzo's grandchild, as well as American actor Kirk Douglas.-Plot summary:...
.
Humour
Various forms of humour are made use of in the series.
Translations
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
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
, most albums are available in
EstonianEstonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
,
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
,
CzechCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. Czech is similar to and mutually intelligible with Slovak and, to a lesser extent, to Polish and Sorbian. - Official status :Czech is widely...
,
DutchDutch is a West Germanic language spoken by over 22 million people as a native language, and over 5 million people as a second language.
"1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language...
,
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Around the world, German is spoken by approximately 105 million native speakers and also by...
,
DanishDanish is one of the North Germanic languages , a sub-group of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. It is spoken by around 6 million people, mainly in Denmark; the language is also used by the 50,000 Danes in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany where it holds the...
,
IcelandicIcelandic is a North Germanic language, the language of Iceland. Its closest relatives are Faroese and certain Norwegian dialects such as Telemark dialect and Sognamål....
,
NorwegianNorwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants ...
,
SwedishSwedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the coast and on the Åland islands. It is to a considerable extent mutually intelligible with Norwegian and to a lesser extent with Danish...
,
FinnishFinnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland and by ethnic Finns outside of Finland. It is one of the official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a Finnish dialect, are spoken...
,
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
,
CatalanCatalan is a Romance language, the national and official language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of the Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencià , as well as in the city of Alghero on the Italian island of...
,
BasqueBasque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is the mother tongue of approximately one fifth of Basques, 632,000 out of nearly 3,000,000...
,
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago...
(and
Brazilian PortugueseBrazilian Portuguese is a group of Portuguese dialects written and spoken by virtually all the almost 200 million inhabitants of Brazil and by a few million Brazilian emigrants, mainly in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada, Japan and Paraguay.Roughly speaking, the differences...
),
ItalianItalian is a Romance language spoken by about 60 million people in Italy, and by a total of around 70 million in the world. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four official languages. It is also the official language of San Marino, as well as the primary language of Vatican City...
,
modern GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
,
HungarianHungarian is a Uralic language unrelated to most other languages in Europe. It is mainly spoken in Hungary and by the Hungarian minorities in the seven neighbouring countries...
,
PolishPolish is a West Slavic language and the official language of Poland. Its written standard is the Polish alphabet which corresponds basically to the Latin alphabet with a few additions...
,
RomanianRomanian or Daco-Romanian is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova. It has official status in Romania, Republic of Moldova, and the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in Serbia...
,
TurkishTurkish is spoken as a first language by over 63 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Cyprus, with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and other...
, Slovene,
BulgarianBulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian demonstrates several linguistic innovations that set it apart from all other Slavic languages except the Macedonian language, such as the elimination of case declension, the development of a suffixed definite...
,
SerbianSerbian is a South Slavic language, spoken chiefly in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and in the Serbian diaspora...
and
CroatianCroatian is a South Slavic language which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by Croatian minorities in some neighbouring countries, in the Italian region of Molise, and parts of the Croatian diaspora....
. Beyond modern Europe, some albums have also been translated into languages as diverse as
Esperantois the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto, the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887. The word esperanto means "one who hopes" in the language itself...
,
IndonesianIndonesian is the official national language of Indonesia. It is based on a version of Classical Malay of the Riau-Johor Sultanate. It was first declared the official language with the declaration of Indonesian independence in 1945, following the 1928 unifying-language declaration in the...
,
MandarinMandarin , is a category of related Chinese dialects spoken across most of northern and south-western China. When taken as a separate language, as is often done in academic literature, the Mandarin language has more native speakers than any other language...
,
KoreanKorean is the official language of North Korea and South Korea. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers. It was formerly written using Hanja, borrowed Chinese characters pronounced in the Korean...
,
Japaneseis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family. There are a number of proposed relationships with other languages, but none have gained general acceptance...
,
BengaliBengali or Bangla is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages....
, Afrikaans,
ArabicArabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and the Neo-Aramaic languages. In terms of speakers, the Arabic macrolanguage is the largest member of the Semitic language family. It is spoken by more than 280 million people as...
,
HindiStandard Hindi, also known as High Hindi, Nagari Hindi or Literary Hindi is a standardised register of Hindi. It is one of the 22 languages with official status in India, and is used, along with English, for administration of the central government.Standard Hindi is a sanskritised register derived...
,
HebrewHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Culturally, it is considered a Jewish language. Hebrew in its modern form is spoken by more than seven million people in Israel while Classical Hebrew has been used for prayer or study in Jewish communities around the world for over...
,
FrisianWest Frisian is a language spoken mostly in the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands. West Frisian is the name by which this language is usually known outside of the Netherlands, to distinguish it from the closely related Frisian languages of Saterland Frisian and North Frisian,...
,
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
, Romansch, Vietnamese (mainly in the South pre-Communist April 30, 1975), and
Ancient GreekAttic Greek is the prestige dialect of Ancient Greek that was spoken in Attica, which includes Athens. Of the ancient dialects, it is the most similar to later Greek, and is the standard form of the language studied in courses of "Ancient Greek"...
.
In France, in
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
,
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and especially in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, several volumes were translated into a variety of regional
languageA language is a system for encoding and decoding information. In its most common use, the term refers to so-called "natural languages" — the forms of communication considered peculiar to humankind. In linguistics the term is extended to refer to the human cognitive facility of creating and using...
s and
dialectThe term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by scholars of language. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other...
s, such as
AlsatianAlsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Linguistic family:...
,
BretonThe Breton language is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France.-History:Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish,...
, Chtimi (
PicardPicard may refer to* the Picard language, a Langue d'oïl and one of the languages of France-People known as Picard:Picard, meaning a person from Picardy, a historical region and cultural area of France, is a surname, and may refer to:...
) and
CorsicanCoriscan refers to anything having to do with the French island of Corsica including the Corsican language.Corsican may also refer to:*The Corsican Brothers, a novella by Alexandre Dumas, père first published in 1844...
in France,
SwabianSwabian is one of the Alemannic dialects of High German, spoken in the region of Swabia. Swabia covers much of Germany's southwestern Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg and the southwest of the Bundesland Bavaria...
and
Low GermanLow German or Low Saxon is any of the regional language varieties of the West Germanic languages spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands.-Geographical extent:-Low German in Europe:Dialects...
in Germany,
KashubianKashubian or Cassubian is one of the Lechitic languages, a subgroup of the Slavic languages....
and Silesian in Poland and
SavoSavo may refer to:* Savo Island near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands* Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942* Savonian dialects of the Finnish language* Savonia or , a historical province of Finland...
,
KareliaKarelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
,
RaumaRauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
and
Helsinki slangHelsinki slang or stadin slangi is a local dialect, a sociolect and a variation of the Finnish language mainly used in the capital Helsinki...
dialects in Finland. Also, in Portugal, a special edition of the first volume,
Asterix the GaulAsterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix comic strip series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:All of Gaul is divided into three parts...
, was translated into local language Mirandese.
In the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
several volumes were translated into
FrisianWest Frisian is a language spoken mostly in the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands. West Frisian is the name by which this language is usually known outside of the Netherlands, to distinguish it from the closely related Frisian languages of Saterland Frisian and North Frisian,...
, a language related to
Old EnglishOld English , also called Anglo-Saxon, is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written in parts of what are now England and south-eastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century. What survives through writing represents primarily the literary...
spoken in the province of
FrieslandFriesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the bigger region known as Frisia. In order to distinguish it from the other Frisian regions, it is commonly specified as Westerlauwer Frisia, Westerlauwer Friesland, West Frisia or West Friesland...
. Also in the Netherlands two volumes were translated into
LimburgishLimburgish, or Limburgian or Limburgic is a group of Franconian varieties, spoken in the Limburg and Rhineland regions, near the common Dutch / Belgian / German border...
, a regional language spoken not only in
Dutch LimburgLimburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by Belgium to the south and part of the west, Germany to the east, the Dutch province of North Brabant partly to the west, and the province of Gelderland to...
but also in
Belgian LimburgLimburg is the easternmost province of Flanders , and is located west of the Maas river. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp. Its capital is Hasselt...
and
North Rhine-Westphalia, GermanyNorth Rhine-Westphalia is the westernmost and—in terms of population and economic output—the largest Federal State of Germany. North Rhine-Westphalia has over 18 million inhabitants, contributes about 22% of Germany's gross domestic product and comprises a land area of 34,083 km²...
.
HungarianHungarian is a Uralic language unrelated to most other languages in Europe. It is mainly spoken in Hungary and by the Hungarian minorities in the seven neighbouring countries...
-language books have been issued in
YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the second half of World War II until it was formally dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro,...
for the Hungarian minority living in
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
. Although not a fully autonomic dialect, it slightly differs from the language of the books issued in
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
. In Greece, a number of volumes have appeared in the
Cretan GreekCretan Greek is a dialect of the Greek language, spoken by more than half a million people in Crete and many thousands in the diaspora....
,
Cypriot GreekThe Cypriot dialect of Greek, known as Kypriaka , Cypriot Greek , or simply Cypriot, is spoken by 750,000 people in Cyprus and hundreds of thousands abroad.-Usage and settings:...
and Pontic Greek dialects and in
Ancient GreekAttic Greek is the prestige dialect of Ancient Greek that was spoken in Attica, which includes Athens. Of the ancient dialects, it is the most similar to later Greek, and is the standard form of the language studied in courses of "Ancient Greek"...
.. In Sri Lanka, the cartoon series was adapted into Sinhala as Sura Pappa.
English translation
The translation of the books into English has been done by
Derek HockridgeDerek Hockridge was born in 1934 in Wales and brought up in Birmingham. His degree at the University of Wales, Cardiff, was followed by teacher training at St Edmund Hall, Oxford...
and
Anthea BellAnthea Bell is a British translator who has translated numerous literary works, especially children's literature, from French, German, Danish and Polish to English. She is, however, best known for her translations of the French Asterix comics along with co-translator Derek...
.
Films
Various motion pictures based upon the series have been made.
- Two Romans in Gaul, 1967, live-action, in which Asterix and Obelix appear in a cameo.
- Asterix the Gaul
Asterix the Gaul is a 1967 Belgian/French animated film, based on the comic book of the same name, which was the first book in the highly popular comic series Asterix by Goscinny and Uderzo. The film sticks to the book's plot very closely....
, 1967, animated, based on the book Asterix the GaulAsterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix comic strip series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:All of Gaul is divided into three parts...
.
- Asterix and the Golden Sickle, 1967, animated, based upon the comic book Asterix and the Golden Sickle
Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 42-74 in 1960.-Plot summary:...
, incomplete and never released.
- Asterix and Cleopatra
Asterix and Cleopatra is a Belgian/French animated film released in 1968; it is the second Asterix adventure to be made into a feature film...
, 1968, animated, based on the book Asterix and CleopatraAsterix and Cleopatra, the sixth book in the Asterix comic book series by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 215-257, in 1963.-Synopsis:...
.
- The Twelve Tasks of Asterix
The Twelve Tasks of Asterix is an animated feature film based on the Asterix comic book series. René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, the creators of the series, wrote the story and directed the film themselves; with co-direction by Pierre Watrin and the screenplay co-written by Pierre Tchernia, a...
, 1976, animated, a unique story not based on an existing comic.
- Asterix Versus Caesar
Asterix Versus Caesar is the first of the 1980s Asterix films, based on the Asterix comic books, and is often considered as one of the best Asterix-films by fans of the comics and the movies...
, 1985, animated, based on both Asterix the LegionaryAsterix the Legionary is the tenth Asterix book in the Asterix comic book series by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published as a serial in Pilote magazine, issues 368-389, in 1966.-Synopsis:...
and Asterix the GladiatorAsterix the Gladiator is the fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 126-168 in 1962.-Plot summary:...
.
- Asterix in Britain
Asterix in Britain is an animated film released in 1986; the fifth Asterix feature film, and the last from Dargaud Films. It is based on the book of the same name.-Plot:...
, 1986, animated, based upon the book Asterix in BritainAsterix in Britain is the eighth in the Asterix comic book series. It was published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 307-334 in 1965, and in album form in 1966...
.
- Asterix and the Big Fight
Asterix and the Big Fight is a 1989 animated movie directed by Philippe Grimond and produced in France by Yannick Piel as Astérix et le coup du menhir. It is based on the Asterix comic book series. The movie has a different plot from the book of the same name. It combines plot elements from Asterix...
, 1989, animated, based on both Asterix and the Big FightAsterix and the Big Fight is a French comic book, the seventh in the Asterix comic book series. It was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. Its original French title is Le Combat des chefs and it was first published in serial form in Pilote magazines issues 261-302 in 1964...
and Asterix and the SoothsayerAsterix and the Soothsayer is the nineteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 652-673 in 1972.-Plot summary:...
.
- Asterix Conquers America
Asterix Conquers America is a 1994 animated movie directed by Gerhard Hahn. It was produced in Germany as Asterix in Amerika by Gerhard Hahn and Jürgen Wohlrabe, and is the first Asterix film produced outside of France...
, 1994, animated, loosely based upon the comic Asterix and the Great CrossingAsterix and the Great Crossing is the twenty-second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:...
.
- Asterix and Obelix take on Caesar, 1999, live-action, based primarily upon Asterix the Gaul
Asterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix comic strip series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo .-Plot summary:All of Gaul is divided into three parts...
, Asterix and the SoothsayerAsterix and the Soothsayer is the nineteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 652-673 in 1972.-Plot summary:...
, Asterix and the GothsAsterix and the Goths is the third volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first published in 1963 in French and translated into English in 1974.-Plot summary:...
, Asterix the LegionaryAsterix the Legionary is the tenth Asterix book in the Asterix comic book series by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published as a serial in Pilote magazine, issues 368-389, in 1966.-Synopsis:...
, and Asterix the GladiatorAsterix the Gladiator is the fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 126-168 in 1962.-Plot summary:...
.
- Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, 2002, live-action, based upon the comic book Asterix and Cleopatra
Asterix and Cleopatra, the sixth book in the Asterix comic book series by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 215-257, in 1963.-Synopsis:...
.
- Asterix and the Vikings
Asterix and the Vikings is an animated feature film, produced in France and Denmark, and directed by Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Møller. The story was adapted from the graphic novel Asterix and the Normans, which was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo...
, 2006, animated, based upon the comic book Asterix and the NormansAsterix and the Normans is the ninth book in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 340-361, in 1966...
.
- Asterix and Obelix at the Olympic Games
Astérix at the Olympic Games is a French movie, adapted from René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo's Astérix comic series. It was filmed essentially in Spain in the course of the year 2006. Its €78 million budget makes it one of the most expensive European movies ever...
, 2008, live-action, based upon the comic book Asterix at the Olympic GamesAsterix at the Olympic Games is the 12th comic book album in the Asterix series. Serialized in Pilote issues 434-455 in 1968 , it was translated into English in 1972...
.
Video games
Various Video games based upon the series have been made.
| Title |
Year |
Platform |
Atari 2600The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
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C64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January, 1982. Volume production started sometime in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$ 595...
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ZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. Referred to during development as the ZX81 Colour and ZX82, the machine was launched as the ZX Spectrum by Sinclair to highlight the machine's colour display, compared with the...
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Amstrad CPCThe Amstrad CPC is a series of 8 bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-'80s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself, especially in the UK and the rest of...
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Atari STThe Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was commercially available from 1985 to the early 1990s. It was released by Atari Corporation in 1985...
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AmigaThe Amiga was a family of personal computers originally developed by Amiga Corporation. Development on the Amiga began in 1982 with Jay Miner as the principal hardware designer. Commodore International bought Amiga Corporation and introduced the machine to the market in 1985...
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PC PC most commonly refers to:* Personal computer, a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals* Political correctness, language or behavior that appears calculated to provide a minimum of offense...
|
Master System The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. Its original Japanese incarnation was the Sega Mark III...
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Arcade Arcade may refer to:*Arcade , a passage or walkway, often including retailers*Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware*Arcade game, a coin operated game machine usually found in a game or video arcade...
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NESThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe and Australia in . In most of Asia, including Japan , China, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines, it was released as the , commonly abbreviated as the...
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SNESThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
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Game BoyThe is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America on , and in Europe on . In Southern Asia, it is known as the "Tata Game Boy" It is the first handheld console in the Game Boy line...
|
Game GearThe is a handheld game console which was Sega's response to Nintendo's Game Boy. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
|
Mega Drive |
CD-iCD-i, or Compact Disc Interactive, is the name of an interactive multimedia CD player developed and marketed by Royal Philips Electronics N.V.. Though not originally marketed as a game console, it is infamous for being one of the biggest commercial failures in video game history...
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PSThe PlayStation is a 32-bit fifth generation video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December ....
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GBCThe is Nintendo's successor to the Game Boy and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27 1998 in UK. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than the Game Boy Pocket. As with the original Game...
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PS2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony. The PS2 console is the sequel to the original PlayStation console. The successor to the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 2 forms part of the PlayStation series of video game...
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GCThe is Nintendo's fourth home video game console with Wii being fifth, and is part of the sixth generation console era. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 and predecessor to Nintendo's Wii....
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GBAThe Game Boy Advance is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color...
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NDSThe is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in 2004 in Canada, the United States, and Japan. The console features a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP, with two LCD screens inside—with the bottom one being a touchscreen...
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WiiThe is a home video game console released by Nintendo. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of both...
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| Asterix |
1983 |
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| Obelix |
1983 |
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Asterix and the Magic CauldronAsterix and the Magic Cauldron is a computer game for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum home computers based on the popular French Asterix comic books....
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1986 |
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| Asterix and the Magic Carpet Asterix and the Magic Carpet is the twenty-eighth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first published in 1987...
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1987 |
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| Asterix: Operation Getafix |
1989 |
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| Asterix |
1991 |
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| Asterix in Morgenland |
1992 |
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AsterixAsterix is a horizontal-scrolling beat'em up arcade game released in 1992 by Konami. It is based on the French comic series Asterix and Obelix. The player fights as either Asterix the Gaul or his best friend, Obelix, as they take on the 'might' of the oppressive Roman Empire. Asterix includes a...
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1992 |
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AsterixAsterix is a video game developed by Bit Managers and published by Infogrames for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy in 1993. The game is based on the comic book series Asterix, and is part of a series of games based on this license...
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| Asterix and the Secret Mission |
1993 |
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Asterix and the Great RescueAsterix and the Great Rescue was released by Sega for Mega Drive in 1993 and for Game Gear and Master System in 1994.- Story :This game is based on the long-running, French comic book series Asterix the Gaul...
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| Asterix and the Power of the Gods |
1995 |
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| Asterix: Caesar's Challenge |
1995 |
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Asterix & ObelixAsterix & Obelix is a game released by Infogrames in 1996, for the PC, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color, the player can choose to play with both Asterix or Obelix...
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| Asterix |
1996 |
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| Asterix: Search For Dogmatix |
2000 |
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| Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar |
2000 |
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| Asterix: The Gallic War |
2000 |
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| Asterix: Mega Madness |
2001 |
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Asterix & Obelix XXLAsterix & Obelix XXL is an action adventure video game released in 2004. It is based on the French comic book series Asterix, about the Gaulish warrior Asterix in the year 50BC, as he battles the Romans...
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Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission Las VegumAsterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission Las Vegum is an Action-adventure game for PC and the PlayStation 2, the sequel of Asterix & Obelix XXL. It was released in 2005 exclusively in Europe, due to the lower popularity of the franchise in the United States and Japan...
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Asterix at the Olympic GamesAsterix at the Olympic Games is a video game for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PC and Nintendo DS that is loosely based on the comic with the same name and the live action film. It was released in Europe in January 2008. You can play two players in parts of the game in the Wii-version...
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Theme park
Parc AsterixParc Astérix is a theme amusement park in France, based on the stories of Asterix . Situated approximately 35 km north of Paris and 32km from Disneyland Resort Paris, in Plailly in the département of Oise, it opened in 1989...
, a theme park based upon the series, was opened near
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1989.
Influence in popular culture
- The first French
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
satellite, which was launched in 1965, was named Astérix-1Astérix, the first French satellite, was launched on November 26, 1965 by a rocket of type Diamant A from Hammaguir in Algeria. It was originally designated A-1, as the French Army's first satellite, but later renamed after the popular French cartoon character Astérix...
in honour of Asterix. Asteroid 29401 Asterix29401 Asterix is a Main-belt Asteroid discovered on October 1, 1996 by M. Tichy and Z. Moravec at Klet. It is named after the French comic character Asterix.- External links :*...
was also named in honor of the character.
- During the campaign for Paris
Paris is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to host the 1992 Summer OlympicsThe 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain in 1992.-Host city selection:...
Asterix appeared in many posters over the Eiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is a 19th century iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris that has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower, which is the tallest building in Paris, is the single most visited paid monument in...
.
- The French company Belin introduced a series of "Asterix" potato chips shaped in the forms of Roman shields
Scutum is the Latin word for "shield", although it has in modern times come to be specifically associated with the rectangular, semi-cylindrical body shield carried by ancient Roman legionaries...
, gourdA gourd is a plant of the family Cucurbitaceae, or a name given to the hollow, dried shell of a fruit in the Cucurbitaceae family of plants of the genus Lagenaria...
s, wild boar, and boneBones are rigid organs that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
s.
- Asterix and Obelix appeared on the cover of Time Magazine for a special edition about France
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
.
- The animated series Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears is an American animated television series that aired in the United States in the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. The show was created by The Walt Disney Company, and loosely inspired by the gummi bear candies; Disney CEO Michael Eisner was struck with...
also concerns an oppressed group in possession of a magic potion capable of conferring superhuman strength and agility.
- The 2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000...
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
OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution , a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It was forked from NetBSD by project leader Theo de Raadt in late 1995...
features a parody of an Asterix story.
- Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series which introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
Number 579, published by DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
in 1986, Written by LofficierJean-Marc Lofficier is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comic books and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier .-Biography:Jean-Marc Lofficier was born in Toulon, France in 1954...
and Illustrated by Keith GiffenKeith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
featured a homage to Asterix where SupermanSuperman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc...
and Jimmy OlsenJames Bartholomew "Jimmy" Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
are drawn back in time to a small village of indomitable Gauls.
- Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child, and elder daughter, of the eponymous family. She is voiced by Yeardley Smith and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
is delighted at the sight of a rack with Tintin and Asterix comics in a comic book store, depicted in The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
episode Husbands and Knives"Husbands and Knives" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons' nineteenth season, and was first broadcast on November 18, 2007. It features guest appearances from Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes as themselves as well as Jack Black as Milo...
.
- Obelix made an appearance as one of several imaginary characters in the South Park
South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become infamous for its crude, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode Imaginationland III. (Picture 51 on page: http://www.spscriptorium.com/Season11/ImaginationlandGuests.html)
- Obelix is referenced in The King Blues
The King Blues are an Acoustic-Ska band acredited for fusing ska and acoustic folk together with influences from Punk and Hardcore. They originate from London, England...
' 2008 single My Boulder. The song features the lyrics, "If I'm Obelix, You are my boulder".
See also
- List of Asterix volumes
- List of Asterix games
- English translations of Asterix
All Asterix stories by Goscinny and Uderzo which have been officially translated into British English were translated by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge. Their first volume was published in 1969. However there have been some additional translations, one in English prior to the Bell/Hockridge...
- Portal:Bande dessinée
- Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. Roman control of the area lasted for 600 years. The Roman Empire began its takeover of what was Celtic Gaul in 121 BC, when it conquered and annexed the southern...
, after Julius Caesar's conquest of 58–51 BC that consisted of five provinces.
Sources
External links