The Most Renowned Gauls in the World
René Goscinny, co-creator of the Astérix series, in 1971. Image credit: Peters, Hans / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
In October 1959, writers René Goscinny and Jean-Michel Charlier teamed up with illustrators Albert Uderzo and Jean Hébrard to launch Pilote, a magazine featuring French and Belgian comics aimed at the adolescent market. The inaugural edition introduced a fictional warrior defending the last Breton village to hold out against Roman conquerors. Astérix le Gaulois (Asterix the Gaul) has since gained worldwide fame with its supporting cast of characters, including his loyal friend Obélix, and lives on through comics, an amusement park, films, and a namesake satellite. The Astérix volumes combined make up one of the most popular comic book series in the world with nearly 400 million copies sold, including translations into over 100 languages, and its themes have brought French (and Belgian) cultural themes to readers everywhere.
Goscinny and Uderzo depicted Astérix as a small but savvy soldier with the courage and smarts to stand up to the Roman invaders. He was assisted by the gigantic, simple-minded but trusty Obélix as well as Panoramix, a druid who brewed a magic potion that endowed its users with fleeting superhuman strength. The series debut establishes the story’s setting in 50 BC in a village in Armorica where the Romans have yet to prevail, unlike much of conquered Gaul. Astérix and his companions encounter a Roman centurion who has a plan to dethrone Caesar, and the unfolding story presents characters and plot devices that will reappear in future chapters.
Albert Uderzo, co-creator of the Astérix series, in 1973. Image credit: Gilles Desjardins, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The founders of Pilote sold the magazine to French publisher Les Éditions Dargaud in 1960 and stayed on, continuing to develop multiple comics series while benefiting from Dargaud’s deeper pockets. The publisher issued the first Astérix book in 1961 and released additional new publications at least once per year, a strategy that garnered great commercial success. The authors branched out from the Gallic village to send Astérix and Obélix on adventures around the world, bringing them back every so often to defend their village from Roman, Gothic, Viking, and other enemies.
Astérix and Obélix storylines are exciting yet comical, with puns and fantasy elements central to the style of the series. The creators wanted to incorporate a clear French identity through historical and cultural features that would resonate with their intended audiences. Less than a generation removed from the Second World War, readers could identify with a band of resistant underdogs who used ingenuity (and a bit of supernatural assistance) to overcome threats from hostile invaders. Many stories culminated in a celebratory feast with the entire village, lending a joyful feel to each volume in contrast to the perils that the actual Roman Empire and events of the war had brought.
The commercial success of Astérix and Obélix led to translations starting in the 1960s. In keeping with the humorous spirit of the series, character names changed from one language to another to incorporate puns and cultural references and to serve as a tribute to the lands where the translations would be sold. Names of the Gauls end in -ix for men and -a for women with the elderly druid Panoramix (one who sees everything) in the original French version being changed to Miraculix (miracle) in German and Scandinavia, as Getafix in Britain as a play on his strength-giving potion, and as Crycymalix in Wales, a play on the Welsh term for arthritis. Male Roman character names always end in -us and are often droll (Gluteus Maximus, Ignoramus, Nefarious Purpus).
Prototype of Astérix A-1 satellite at the Musée de l'air et de l'espace, Paris-Le Bourget airport, France. Image credit: Pline, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
As the protagonists ventured forth, the authors apparently intended for them to depict how the French viewed other areas of the world as well as how they viewed themselves. Some references played on national reputations, such as the Swiss reputation for punctuality and the English practice of taking tea each afternoon. Other depictions have aged poorly as times have changed and now are often viewed as insensitive and negative, leading to a more nuanced consideration of elements within the series and areas where good-natured satire no longer comes across as innocently.
Astérix and Obélix are nevertheless staples of Franco-Belgian culture and enjoy worldwide popularity. The original books have served as the basis for numerous films, both animated and live-action, television and streaming services, video games, and board games. The characters have also appeared in special editions of consumer products, on commemorative coins, and in promotions for sporting events such as the 2017 IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) Championships and bids to host the Olympic Games. Parc Astérix, an amusement park based on the series, opened in 1989 north of Paris and now receives nearly three million visitors each year. The reach of the small Gallic warrior even extended into space nearly sixty years ago when the first French satellite was launched under the name Astérix and two asteroids have since been named for Astérix and Obélix. Even as the European and worldwide markets for comics have expanded, these Gallic heroes continue to captivate readers with their adventures.
Jeu de français
If this post is your first encounter with Astérix and Obélix, view the initial story on YouTube with English subtitles. Go further with Astérix, Obélix, and their many adventures by reading the series volumes and watching films or by making your way through the quiz below.
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