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« Although the Gauls are ardent warriors and prompt to go to battle, their spirit is soft and yielding when they encounter defeat...»
Julius Caesar, Commentary on the Gallic War.

Indeed, everything did start with a defeat ...!
René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, surveying the Lutetian suburbs from their balcony, were growing increasingly indignant. What if the historians were all wrong?Drawing upon the vast knowledge of history they'd acquired in elementary school, they imagined that a single village had been able to resist Caesar's imperialism! And then they set about to prove it. The irreverence of their attitude, when they make the great Julius say «Ouch!», is the stuff of legend...

Back in 1959, when they imagined an alternative version of History, just for fun, the authors were on the cutting edge of a gigantic tidal wave: rebelliousness, a lack of respect for those in power, for the reigning world order: an irreverence aimed at the fatal flaw in every powerful institution, especially when it is blind. This is why, even in defeat, Vercingétorix has an obligation to be insolent. «Ouch»! Asterix's philosophy was born.

From then on, all the authors had to do was unfurl their talent, made up of cleverly placed anachronisms, incomparably huge noses, and ancestral fantasies. Using laughter as a premise, in their unconscious way the authors thus offered two generations (to begin with) - the elder one, traumatised by war, and the youngsters, full of dreams and desires - another vision of the world based on a universal symbol: the resistance of the weak in the face of their oppressors according to a magic formula which is a well-guarded secret...

"Resistance and intransigence diminish the noblest position, and it is for this reason that we do our utmost to remain just."
Goethe

The Romans prided themselves on having cunningly plotted to divide and conquer Gaul by means of a dare. Cassius Ceramix, chief of a conquered Gaulish village, wanted to be more Roman than the Romans, and agreed to collaborate (any resemblance to any persons, etc.) with the Empire's goals. The performance below is a sheer delight for the reader, who identifies with our Gauls, especially their chief. This is one of his rare moments of glory.


René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo have become the world's most translated authors. Oddly enough, Asterix, the symbol of Franco-Gaulish resistance, was the brainchild of two authors whose families were recent immigrants to France. Albert (formerly Alberto) Uderzo, though born in Fismes, near Reims, was not naturalised until he was 7 years old. René Goscinny, although born in Paris, France, spent the first part of his life in America, and his family was originally from Eastern Europe. The source of their humour, which suits all of us so well, may possibly lie in their personal histories. In any case, this history does provide the beginning of an explanation for the gentle but acerbic style which definitively stigmatises all the empire's faults. Who among us has never dreamed of being like Asterix?
(see the form opposite)



Caesar had really tried everything to make his conquest of our Gaulish heroes complete. In "The Mansions of the Gods," the Emperor's latest ploy to subjugate (at last!) all of Gaul is an extremely perfidious one. He decrees that the village will become an "amphoraville" on the edge of a huge real estate development for which the album is named. Once again, any resemblance... As usual, the reader, ever loyal to Asterix, delights in how the story ends ...

Every official entity, large or small, squeezes into the irreverent panels of our two inventors, whose motto, at the genesis of the adventures of Asterix, was "at least we will have had a good time." Obviously, this is the philosophy (which has yet to be described by a scholar, although it is indeed an extremely infectious way of viewing the world) which is prized by readers all over the world, even judges, lawyers, and their clients. The lawyer's pantomime for Asterix and Obelix, in the album "Asterix and the Laurel Wreath", is a delight...

Insofar as they abuse their power over their fellow human beings, oracles, soothsayers, and other wizards, presumably gifted with second sight, get a shock treatment from the celebrated doctors Goscinny and Uderzo. Their response is always unequivocal and universal. Obelix's common sense in the face of all human deception may be the seed from which true liberty sprouts.

The hidden face of the mighty fascinates the authors, who have made it one of their themes. Julius Caesar and his legions are ruthlessly targeted by their humour, for our reading pleasure. In "Asterix and the Magic Carpet," the emperor is on the brink of a nervous breakdown...

Of a rather anti-militaristic bent, the authors describe in jubilant detail the state of decrepitude of the occupying Roman armies, in the famous work "Asterix in Switzerland"...

The anti-imperialist gag below was the work of Albert Uderzo for the 2003 album "Asterix and the Class Act." Extremely sensitive about his liberty, the author depicted a battle between the Gallic rooster and the arrogant, presumptuous imperial eagle. Certain commentators saw this as a possible allusion to current affairs, when another empire sought to force its allies' hand...

Asterix, Obelix and their creators were, are and always will be free because they can apply their irreverence to themselves. Could this be the secret of their magic potion?

Dates, facts and figures
1951 - Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny meet 1959 - Asterix is created for the first issue of Pilote Magazine, October 29th 1961 - The first album, "Asterix the Gaul," is published (print run: 6,000 copies) 1962 - Publication of "The Golden Sickle" (print run: 15,000 copies) 1963 - Publication of "Asterix and the Goths" (print run: 15,000 copies) 1964 - Publication of "Asterix the Gladiator" (print run: 60,000 copies) 1965 - Publication of "Asterix and the Banquet" (print run: 60,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix and Cleopatra" (print run: 100,000 copies) The first French satellite launches into outer space and is named Asterix The adventures of Asterix are translated into Spanish. Today* 22 million copies of Spanish-language editions have been sold 1966 - Publication of "Asterix and the Big Fight" (print run: 600,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix in Britain" (print run: 900,000 copies) The adventures of Asterix are translated into Dutch. 1967 - Publication of "Asterix and the Normans" (print run: 1,200,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix the Legionary" (print run: 1,000,000 copies) Release of the animated movie "Asterix the Gaul". The Adventures of Asterix the Gaul are translated into German, first for the magazine MV-Comix, and, the following year, in album form. German sales now exceed 100 million copies (nearly as many as in France!) 1968 - Publication of "Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield" (print run: 1,000,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix at the Olympic Games" (print run: 1,200,000 copies) Release of the feature-length animated movie "Asterix and Cleopatra" The adventures of Asterix are translated into Italian and Portuguese. Today*, sales in these countries have reached 6 and 2 million copies, respectively. 1969 - Publication of "Asterix and the Cauldron" (print run: 1,100,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix in Spain" (print run: 1,100,000 copies). The adventures of Asterix are translated into English. Today*, sales of English-language editions have reached 22 million copies. 1970 - Publication of "Asterix and the Roman Agent" (print run: 1,000,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix in Switzerland" (print run: 1,200,000 copies) 1971 - Publication of "The Mansions of the Gods" (print run: 1,100,000 copies). 1972 - Publication of "Asterix and The Laurel Wreath" (print run: 1,100,000 copies) Publication of "Asterix and the Soothsayer" (print run: 1,300,000 copies) 1973 - Publication of "Asterix in Corsica" (print run: 1,300,000 copies) 1974 - Publication of "Asterix and Caesar's Gift" (print run: 1,400,000 copies). 1975 - Publication of "Asterix and the Great Crossing" (print run: 1,350,000 copies) 1976 - Publication of "Obelix and Co." (print run: 1,350,000 copies) Release of the feature-length animated movie "The Twelve Tasks of Asterix" produced by Studios Idéfix. 1977 - Death of René Goscinny. 1979 - Publication of "Asterix in Belgium", the last adventure penned by Goscinny and Uderzo together (print run: 1,500,000 copies) Albert Uderzo founds Les Éditions Albert René 1980 - Publication of the first Asterix album written and drawn by Albert Uderzo: "Asterix and the Great Divide" (print run: 1,700,000 copies) 1981 - Publication of "Asterix and the Black Gold" (print run: 1,700,000 copies) 1983 - Publication of "Asterix and Son" (print run: 1,700,000 copies) 1985 - Film release: "Asterix versus Caesar" 1986 - Film release: "Asterix in Britain" 1987 - Publication of "Asterix and the Magic Carpet" (print run: 1,700,000 copies). 1989 - Parc Asterix Opens Asterix Exhibition at Beaubourg Film release: "Asterix and the Big Fight" 1991 - Publication of "Asterix and the Secret Weapon" (print run: 2,000,000 copies in France, 7,000,000 in Europe). 1994 - "Le Journal Exceptionnel" the 35th-anniversary Special goes on sale in news-stands in France, Spain, and Italy, and in bookshops in Germany 1995 - Film release: "Asterix Conquers America". 1996 - Publication of the 31st album, "Asterix and Obelix All at Sea" (print run: 2,600,000 copies) 1997 - Exhibition at Paris's museum of folk art Le Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires: "Asterix, a contemporary myth". Asterix at the Musée des Beaux Arts in Montréal 1999 - First postage stamp featuring Asterix (10,900,000 copies) Live-action film release: "Asterix and Obelix Versus Caesar" (8,952,344 tickets sold in France, 23,661,415 worldwide) 2000 - Albert Uderzo receives the "Prix du millénaire de la BD" (Comics Millennium Prize) 2001 - Publication of "Asterix and the Actress" (8 million copies distributed in Europe, including 3 million in France) 2002 - Film release: "Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra": 14,559,509 tickets sold in France, 24,017,133 world-wide (making it the second greatest hit in the history of French cinema, after "La Grande Vadrouille"!) 2003 - August 29: national release of "Asterix and the Class Act," of which over a million copies were printed 2004 - Parc Asterix celebrates its 15th year!

October 29th, 2004 - Asterix's 45th Birthday
First-time launch of the album "Asterix and the Class Act" in six regional languages: Publication of the album in Picard / C'hti October 27, 2004 Publication of the album in Breton November 3, 2004 Publication of the album in Gallo November 3, 2004 Publication of the album in Alsatian November 10, 2004 Publication of the album in Occitan November 17, 2004 Publication of the album in Corsican November 17, 2004.

Polls and key figures
3 out of 4 French people have read an Asterix album (1999 IED study) 91% of the respondents surveyed prefer Asterix (IED prompted question/March 99) 75 % of the respondents surveyed agree that Asterix is a French cultural icon (IED prompted question / March 99) 53 % of French people rate Asterix highest among comic book heroes (SOFRES poll for Le Pèlerin Magazine/2001) A study carried out by LSA and Disney in 2001 found that children from three different age groups (between 6 and 13) cited Asterix more often than any other character. 310 million albums sold world-wide 110 million albums sold in France 3 million "Asterix and Latraviata" albums sold in the French-speaking world 110 languages and dialects 2 million visitors to Parc Asterix every year 1.1 million "Asterix and the Class Act" albums sold in France. Over 2 million in the rest of Europe.