''Asterix the Gaul'' is the first volume of the

Asterix ''Asterix'' or ''The Adventures of Asterix'' (french: Astérix or , "Asterix the Gauls, Gaul") is a ''bande dessinée'' comic book book series, series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight th ...

comic strip series, by

René Goscinny René Goscinny (, ; 14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977) was a French comic editor and writer, who created the ''Astérix'' comic book series with illustrator Albert Uderzo. Raised largely in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he attended French schoo ...

(stories) and

Albert Uderzo Alberto Aleandro Uderzo (; ; 25 April 1927 – 24 March 2020), better known as Albert Uderzo, was a French comic book artist and scriptwriter. He is best known as the co-creator and illustrator of the '' Astérix'' series in collaboration with ...

(illustrations). In ''Le Monde'' 100 Books of the Century, a 1999 poll conducted by the French retailer

Fnac Fnac () is a large French retail chain selling culture, cultural and consumer electronics, electronic products, founded by André Essel and Max Théret in 1954. Its head office is in ''Le Flavia'' in Ivry-sur-Seine near Paris. It is an abbreviati ...

and the Paris newspaper ''

Le Monde ''Le Monde'' (; ) is a French daily afternoon newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average circulation of 323,039 copies per issue in 2009, about 40,000 of which were sold abroad. It has had its own website si ...

'', ''Asterix the Gaul'' was listed as the 23rd greatest book of the 20th century.

Plot summary

All of the

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

area is under

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

control, except for one small village in

Armorica Armorica or Aremorica (Gaulish: ; br, Arvorig, ) is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire that includes the Brittany Peninsula, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic Coast ...

(present-day

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

), whose inhabitants are made invincible by a magic potion created periodically by the Druid

Getafix This is a list of characters in the ''Asterix'' comics. Main characters Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix are the first characters with short descriptions usually listed at the beginning of each of the ''Asterix'' books (after the map of Gaul). They ...

. To discover the secret of the Gauls' strength, Centurion Crismus Bonus, commander of a Roman garrison at the fortified camp of

Compendium A compendium (plural: compendia or compendiums) is a comprehensive collection of information and analysis pertaining to a body of knowledge. A compendium may concisely summarize a larger work. In most cases, the body of knowledge will concern a sp ...

, sends a spy disguised as a Gaul to the village. The Roman's identity is revealed when he loses his false moustache, shortly after he discovers the existence of the magic potion; whereupon he reports his discovery to the Centurion. Crismus Bonus, hoping to overthrow

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...

, orders Getafix captured and interrogated for the recipe; but to no avail. Protagonist Asterix learned of Getafix's capture from a cart-seller; infiltrates the Roman camp in the latter's cart; and hears Crismus Bonus revealing his intended rebellion to Marcus Ginandtonicus, his second-in-command. Following Asterix's suggestion, Getafix pretends to agree to the Centurion's demand of the potion when Asterix pretends to give in to

torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. definitions of tortur ...

, and demands an unseasonal ingredient: strawberries. While Crismus Bonus' soldiers try to find strawberries, Asterix and Getafix relax in relative luxury; and when the strawberries arrive, consume them all, and console Crismus Bonus that the potion may be made without them. After all the ingredients are found, a potion is prepared that causes the hair and

beard A beard is the hair that grows on the jaw, chin, upper lip, lower lip, cheeks, and neck of humans and some non-human animals. In humans, usually pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. Throughout the course of history, societal at ...

of the drinker to grow at an accelerated pace. The Romans are tricked into drinking this potion and before long, all of them have long hair and beards. When Crismus Bonus pleads Getafix to make an antidote, the druid makes a cauldron of vegetable soup (knowing that the hair-growth potion shall soon cease to take effect), and also prepares a small quantity of the real magic potion for Asterix. As Getafix and Asterix escape, they are stopped by a huge army of Roman reinforcements commanded by

. Upon meeting Asterix and Getafix, Caesar hears of Crismus Bonus' intentions against himself; deports Crismus Bonus and his garrison to Outer Mongolia; and frees Asterix and Getafix for giving him the information, while reminding them that they are still enemies. The two Gauls then return to their village, where their neighbors celebrate their return.

Characters

Introducing

* ''

'' – Gaulish warrior * ''

Obelix Obelix (; french: Obélix) is a cartoon character in the French comic book series ''Asterix''. He works as a menhir sculptor and deliveryman, and is Asterix's best friend. Obelix is noted for his obesity, the menhirs he carries around on his bac ...

'' – Gaulish

menhir A menhir (from Brittonic languages: ''maen'' or ''men'', "stone" and ''hir'' or ''hîr'', "long"), standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large human-made upright stone, typically dating from the European middle Bronze Age. They can be found ...

delivery man and warrior * ''

'' – Gaulish druid * '' Vitalstatistix'' – Chief of the Gaulish Village * '' Cacofonix'' – Gaulish bard * ''

Fulliautomatix This is a list of characters in the ''Asterix'' comics. Main characters Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix are the first characters with short descriptions usually listed at the beginning of each of the ''Asterix'' books (after the map of Gaul). They ...

'' – Gaulish blacksmith * ''

'' – Roman leader ( historical)

Development

Because this is the first album, many story points and characterisations are still in their formative stages. In fact, due to its original, serial nature, some develop and change even as the story progresses: * The Roman second-in-command changes abruptly a few pages into the story. * Getafix begins the story living in a cave in the forest and looking much like a stereotypical caveman. He also uses a walking stick. * Obelix is seen carrying an axe in his first appearance. It is never seen again. He is satisfied with helping Asterix eat just one boar between them. Obelix is only a peripheral character in the first album, and doesn't truly become Asterix's sidekick until the

next album ''Next Album'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, his first to be released on the Milestone Records, Milestone label, featuring performances by Rollins with George Cables, Jack DeJohnette, Bob Cranshaw and Arthur Jenkins (percussionist) ...

. He is also seen carrying much larger amounts of rock than in later stories. * Asterix and other villagers appear to be using the potion constantly, yet seeing the potion being made is viewed as an event. * Fulliautomatix is seen working metal with his bare hands. He also bears no resemblance to his later appearances. * Cacofonix the bard plays and calls a dance, and at the end is seated at the table at the feast. Later albums established a

running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...

where he is never allowed to sing (except in ''

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. It depicts a meeting b ...

'', ''

The Mansions of the Gods ''The Mansions of the Gods'' is the seventeenth graphic novel of the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo and released in 1971. Originally released as a serial for the magazine '' Pilote'', it was ...

'' and ''

Asterix and the Magic Carpet ''Asterix and the Magic Carpet'' is the twenty-eighth volume of the Asterix comic book series by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was first published in 1987, and was translated into English in 1988. It is the four ...

''), and is tied up and gagged at feasts to prevent this. * When he is first introduced in the prologue, Caesar has a completely different look than he has in the rest of the series, including at the end of this album.

Publishing history

The story was first published as a serial in ''

Pilote Cover of the first ''Pilote'' issue #0 ''Pilote'' () was a French comic magazine 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'', '' ...

'' magazine, a Franco-Belgian comics magazine founded by Goscinny and a few other comic artists. The first page appeared in the promotional issue #0, distributed on 1 June 1959, and the story was serially published in the magazine from issue #1 (29 October 1959) until issue #38 (14 July 1960). A small head of Asterix first appeared on the cover of #9 (24 December 1959), and a full Asterix cover was used on #21 (17 March 1960). The next story, ''

Asterix and the Golden Sickle ''Asterix and the Golden Sickle'' (, "The Golden Sickle") is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was first serialized in ''Pilote'' magazine issues 42–74 in 1960. ...

'', started in issue #42 (11 August 1960). ''Asterix le Gaulois'' was published in July 1961 by

Dargaud Société Dargaud, doing business as Les Éditions Dargaud, is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1936 by Georges Dargaud (), publishing its first comics in 1943. ...

in the so-called "Pilote collection" with a print of 6000 copies. A Dutch translation followed in 1966, and other languages followed soon after. The English translation by

Anthea Bell Anthea Bell (10 May 1936 – 18 October 2018) was an English translator of literary works, including children's literature, from French, German and Danish. These include '' The Castle'' by Franz Kafka, '' Austerlitz'' by W. G. Sebald, the ''In ...

and

Derek Hockridge Derek Hockridge (1934 – 8 August 2013) was a British translator, teacher, lecturer, and occasional actor, who was perhaps best known for his translations of the ''Asterix'' comic book series. Born in Wales and brought up in Birmingham, he comp ...

was first published in 1969 by Brockhampton Press. The plate for page 35 was redrawn by Albert Uderzo's brother Marcel in 1970 because the original was lost. This is why there are some slight differences in the drawing style. All English versions from Hodder & Stoughton (Hodder Dargaud) use the original illustrations, which were made from a copy of an actual printed page, hence the blurriness. The 2004 release from

Orion Books Orion Publishing Group Ltd. is a UK-based book publisher. It was founded in 1991 and acquired Weidenfeld & Nicolson the following year. The group has published numerous bestselling books by notable authors including Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, ...

uses the redone illustrations from the French editions.
– Page on the changes fro
Asterix International!
/ref> An

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...

of ''Asterix the Gaul'' adapted by

and narrated by

Willie Rushton William George Rushton (18 August 1937 – 11 December 1996) was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the satirical magazine ''Private Eye''. Early life Rushton was born 18 August 1937 in 3 Wilbraham Plac ...

was released on EMI Records ''Listen for Pleasure'' label in 1990. On 29 October 2009,

Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...

prominently featured an integration of Asterix and Obelix in its mast head, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first publication. The 2019 American

Papercutz :PAPERCUTZ (stylized as :papercutz or :PAPERCUTZ) is a Portuguese electronic music act formed as a side project in Porto that became a fully active band in 2008. Bruno Miguel is the only official member of Papercutz and solely responsible for ...

edition presents a few changes: * Getafix is named Panoramix, the same name used in the original French edition. * The Roman Camps of Totorum and Compendium are renamed to Butterdrum and Lilchum, respectively. * The original decurion's name is changed from Julius Pompus to Julius Pompilius. * It changes all references to the Circus Maximus to the Colosseum, even though in the timeline it wouldn't be built for another 120 years.

British comic adaption

Valiant comics saved #59 (16 November 1963) carried a British version of Asterix with just the names changed which ran for a time, on the back page (so it was in colour). It was called "Little Fred and Big Ed" and they lived in a British village called Nevergiveup, the druid was named Hokus Pokus and the chief Roman was called Pompus.

Film adaptation

The book was adapted into a film, which was released in 1967. Goscinny and Uderzo were not consulted during the making of the film, and the first they heard of it was a few months before it was released, when they were shown an early version of it. It was generally not well received, and a planned adaptation of ''

'', made by the same animation team, was scrapped.

In other languages

*Albanian: ''Gali Asteriks'' *Arabic: أستريكس بطل الأبطال''ل'' *Basque: ''Asterix Galiarra'' *Bengali: ''গলযোদ্ধা অ্যাস্টেরিক্স'' *Bulgarian: ''Астерикс – Галът'' *Catalan: ''Astèrix el Gal'' *Croatian: ''Asteriks Gal'' *Czech: ''Asterix z Galie'' *Danish: ''Asterix og hans gæve gallere'' *Dutch: ''Asterix de Galliër'' *Esperanto: ''Asteriks la Gaŭlo'' *Estonian: ''Gallialane Asterix'' *Finnish: ''Asterix gallialainen'' *French: ''Astérix le Gaulois'' *Frisian: ''Asterix de Galjer'' *Gaelic: ''Asterix an Ceilteach'' *Galician: ''Astérix o Galo'' *German: ''Asterix der Gallier'' *Greek: ''Αστερίξ ο Γαλάτης'' *Hebrew: ''אסטריקס הגאלי'' *Hindi: ''एस्ट्रिक द गाल'' *Hungarian: ''Asterix, a Gall'' *Icelandic: ''Ástríkur Gallvaski'' *Indonesian: ''Asterix Prajurit Galia'' *Italian: ''Asterix il Gallico'' *Irish: ''Asterix na nGallach'' *Latin: ''Asterix Gallus'' *Mirandese: ''Asterix, L Goulés'' *Norwegian: ''Asterix og hans tapre gallere'' *Polish: ''Przygody Gala Asteriksa'' *Portuguese: ''Astérix o Gaulês'' *Romanian: ''Asterix, eroul galilor'' *Russian: ''Астерикс из Галлии'' *Serbian: ''Астерикс, Галски јунак/Asteriks, galski junak'' *Sinhalese: ''සූර පප්පා'' *Slovak: ''Gal Asterix'' *Slovenian: ''Asterix, galski junak'' *Spanish: ''Asterix el Galo'' *Swedish: ''Asterix och hans tappra galler'' *Turkish: ''Galyalı Asteriks'' *Welsh: ''Asterix y Galiad''

References

* {{Authority control Gaul, Asterix the Works originally published in Pilote Literature first published in serial form 1961 graphic novels Works by René Goscinny Comics by Albert Uderzo Depictions of Julius Caesar in comics Cultural depictions of Vercingetorix