Created and drawn by Albert Uderzo. Until he died in 1977, René Goscinny did the storyline of the Asterix albums. Asterix and the other inhabitants of the rebel town are gaullic.

These are the names of the six main characters in different languages:

English(UK):   Asterix        Obelix             Dogmatix

French:        Astérix        Obélix             Idéfix
Afrikaans:     Asterix        Obelix             Woefix
                                                  _
Alsatian:      Asterix        Obelix             Fangmix
                    _         _   _                _ _
Arabic:        Asteriks       Ubeliks            Anidiks
Bable:         Asterix        Obelix
Basque:        Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Belarussian:   Asteryks       Abeliks            Idefiks
Bengali:       Asterix        Obelix
Bern:          Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Brazilian:     Asterix        Obelix             Idéiafix
Breton:        Asteriks       Obeliks            Skoazellet
Catalan:       Astèrix        Obèlix             Ideafix
Chinese(M):    Yali           Oubi
Corsican:      Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Croatian:      Asterix        Obelix             Snupix
Czech:         Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Danish:        Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Dutch:         Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
English(USA):  Asterix        Obelix             Dogmatix
Esperanto:     Asteriks       Obeliks            Snufiks
Estonian:      Asterix        Obelix             Ideefix
Finnish:       Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Flemish:       Asterix        Obelix             Ideefix
Frisian:       Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Gaelic:        Asterix        Cromleax
Galician:      Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
German:        Asterix        Obelix             Idefix    
Greek(anc):    Asterikios     Obelikios          Skylakas
Greek(mod):    Asterix        Obelix             Intefix
Hebrew:        Asteriks       Obeliks            Mavriks
Hindi:         Asteriks       Obeliks
Hungarian:     Asterix        Obelix             Mirnixdirnix
Icelandic:     Ástríkur       Steinríkur         Krílríkur
Indonesian:    Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Italian:       Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Japanese:      Astiriks
Korean:        Asteis         Obelis
Latin:         Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Latvian        Asteriks       Obeliks            
Limburgish:    Asterix        Obelix             Idéfix
Lithuanian:    Asteriksas     Obeliksas
Luxembourgish: Asterix        Obelix             Iddifix
Norwegian:     Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Polish:        Asteriks       Obeliks            Idefiks
Portuguese:    Astérix        Obélix             Ideiafix
Rheato-Roman:  Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Rumanian:      Asterix        Obelix
Serbian:       Asteriks       Obeliks            Garoviks
Slovak:        Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Slovenian:     Asterix        Obelix             Ku&zcirc;ifix
Spanish:       Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Swabian:       Asterix        Obelix             Idefix
Swedish:       Asterix        Obelix             Idefix      
Twents:        Asterix        Obelix
Turkish:       Asteriks       Hopdediks          Idefix
Vietnamese:    Axtêrix        Ôbêlix             IÐêfix
Welsh:         Asterix        Obelix             Bitabix

---

English(UK):   Getafix        Cacofonix          Vitalstatistix

French:        Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracourcix
Afrikaans:     Abracadabrix   Kakofonix          Grootkokkedorix
Alsatian:      Geschtunhix    Kenblechmusix      Gellwitwix
                                  _              v_   _
Arabic:                       Fanniks            Satiriks
                                                   ·
Bable:         Panoramix      Asuracenturix      Abraracurcix
Basque:        Panoramix      Asuranzeturix      Abrarakurzix
Bengali:       Etashetamix    Kalorobix          Bishalakritix
Bern:          Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracourcix
Brazilian:     Panoramix      Chatotorix         Abracurcix
Breton:        Panoramiks     Avihaniks          Anerzhbrec'hiks
                                                   _
Catalan:       Panoràmix      Assegurançatòtrix  Acopdegarròtix
Chinese(M):    Peng Laoye     Yale               Abula
Corsican:      Panoramix      Assicuranzatourix
               _
Croatian:      Cudomix        Tamburix           Vrhovnix
Czech:         Panoramix      Trubadix           Majestatix
Danish:        Miraculix      Trubadurix         Majestix
Dutch:         Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracourcix
English(UK):   Getafix        Cacofonix          Vitalstatistix
English(USA):  Magigimmix     Malacoustix        Macroeconomix
Esperanto:     Miraklomiks    Malmuziks          Moŝtiks
Estonian:      Aquavitix      Lyrix              Majestix
Finnish:       Akvavitix      Trubadurix         Aladobix
Flemish:       Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracourcix
Frisian:       Crudemix       Gysbetiapix        Jimmerfix
Gaelic:        Cocairix       Sgreuchanaix       Uasalaix
Galician:      Panoramix      Assuranceturix     Abraracurcix
German:        Miraculix      Troubadix          Majestix
                                    _
Greek(anc):    Panoramikios   Kakophonikios      Monarchikios
Greek(mod):    Panoramix      Kakofonix          Majestix
Hebrew:        Ashafiks       Khamshiriks        Lokhemamiks
Hindi:         Venadathiks    Besuriks           Motumaliks
Hungarian:     Magicoturmix   Hangianix          Hasarengazfix
Icelandic:     Sjóðríkur      Óðríkur            Aðalríkur
Indonesian:    Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracourcix
Italian:       Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracurcix
Latin:         Panoramix      Cantorix           Maiestix
                                                   v
Latvian:       Burleviks      Dziesmuliks        Diziliks
Limburgish:    Panoramix      Assurancetourix    Abraracourcix
Lithuanian:    Mirakuliksas   Trubadiksas        Majestiksas
Luxembourgish: Panoramix      Tutebattix         Zwirkinnix
Korean:        Panolamis      Asulastoelis       Ablalakoelsis
Norwegian:     Miraculix      Trubadurix         Majestix
Polish:        Panoramiks     Kakofoniks         Asparanoiks
Portuguese:    Panoramix      Assuranceturix     Abraracurcix
Rheato-Roman:  Miraculix      Trubadix           Majestix
Rumanian:      Panoramix      Cacofonix          Bratscurtarix
Serbian:       Aspiriniks     Tamburiks          Drmatoriks
Slovak:        Panoramix      Kantatrix          Abrakatrix
Slovenian:     Panoramix      Fisteltenorkix     Ataaufbix
Spanish:       Panoramix      Asuranceturix      Abraracurcix
Swabian:       Miraculix                         Majestix
Swedish:       Miraculix      Troubadix          Majestix
Twents:        Panoramix      Lyrix              Majestix
Turkish:       Büyüfiks       Kakofoniks         Toptoriks
Vietnamese:                                      Abra
Welsh:         Crycymalix     Odlgymix           Einharweinix

More names at the source: http://lcg-www.uia.ac.be/~erikt/asterix/names.html

Asterix, especially the later albums, is absolutely hilarious, owing to the genius of René Goscinny. But he does it all with well-known techniques of comedy.

For example, the line "orgies, orgies, we want more orgies" is repeated over and over by an actor, during rehearsal for a play designed to shock the audience. It's the contrast between the content of this line and the matter-of-fact way in which the director is trying to figure out his scene ("Perhaps you could throw something at him at this point? A tomato, or something.") that creates the fun. We have all the techniques: repetition, exaggeration, dead pan delivery (the scene is presented as if we're watching a documentary), silly detail (the tomato).

Asterix also excels in contemporary references to 'the real world'; this scene, for instance, refers to a new radical movement in acting that was important around 1970. However, missing most of these references - and I do - doesn't make it any less hilarious.

About translators: I can't agree more. I've even seen a joke unique to a language that I hardly know: questions in Latin end in -ne, so at one point we see "Hmmmmmmmm?" translated to "Hmmmmmmmne?"

Whilst i agree that the various translators of the Asterix books have produced some excellent work, there are limits to the translatability of puns - but there is also usually scope for the introduction of new ones (the Italian version of the much repeated line "Ils sont fous, ces romains"/"These Romans are crazy" is naturally "Sono Pazzi, Quei Romani").

For one book at least, the entire cultural basis of the French edition was deemed to be too obscure for an anglophone audience: "Asterix and the Banquet" is the English version of "Le Tour de Gaule d'Asterix" which is of course based on the Tour de France; about half the jokes in the original are based on aspects of that race/cultural phenomenon.

Atari 2600 Game
Produced by: Atari
Model Number: CX2699
Rarity: 5 Rare
Year of Release: 1985
Programmer: Steve Woita

Asterix is an Atari 2600 game based on the comic of the same name. Guide Asterix and Obelisk on their quest to gain treasure to defeat the Romans.

This is a strange game. The screen has seven horizontal lines across it, with large triangles at the top and bottom. This makes 8 rows between the lines. Different items sail through these rows. You must guide Asterix around the screen, grabbing the good items while avoiding the harp shaped ones. This isn't a bad game but it has absolutely nothing to do with its namesake besides the title screen.

From the manual

The year is 50 B.C. Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Well, almost entirely... There is one Gaulish village, located near the Roman outposts of Totorum, Aquarium, Laudanum, and Compendium, that has resisted the Roman legions. According to reports from Roman spies, the villagers are led by two Gaulish heroes - Asterix and Obelix.

The first hero, Asterix, is a shrewd little warrior with a quick mind and a large moustache. Asterix gets his superhuman strength from a magic potion brewed by the village Druid, Getafix.

The other hero is Asterix's remarkably strong and hungry friend, Obelix. Obelix has a healthy appetite for wild boar, and is always ready for a good fight with the Romans.

These two valiant heroes aren't afraid of anything. Except... well, except for one thing. The off-key tunes from the lyre of Cacofonix, the village bard, can make them retreat faster than a Roman can say "Veni, Vidi, Vici"!

Collectors Information

Asterix was a clone of the earlier Atari title Taz, the title screen and some of the graphics have changed, but it is the exact same game besides that. This was a Europe only release, Atari thought that an Asterix based game would sell better in Europe than a Tasmanian Devil based one. This is an unplayable game on many US Atari's because it is PAL format only.

Asterix is short, has fair hair and mustache. His helmet has white bird wings on it. He wears a black shirt and red trousers. He always carries by his belt a little flask holding magic potion - which comes in handy when the romans want a fight. He is also quite smart ; in his little village of Armorica it seems only he and the druid, Panoramix, have got any brains.

He is the hero of the witty comics named after him, Asterix the Gaul. Scripted by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, the series spawns over 31 books, which I will list here (The original French titles are between brackets):

• Asterix the Gaul (Astérix le Gaulois)
• Asterix and the Golden Sickle (La serpe d'or)
• Asterix and the Goths (Astérix et les Goths)
• Asterix the Gladiator (Astérix gladiateur)
• Asterix and the Banquet (Le tour de Gaule d'Astérix)
• Asterix and Cleopatra (Astérix et Cléopatre)
• Asterix and the Big Fight (Le combat des chefs)
• Asterix in Britain (Astérix chez les bretons)
• Asterix and the Normans (Astérix et les normands)
• Asterix and the Legionary (Astérix légionnaire)
• Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield (Le bouclier Arverne)
• Asterix at the Olympic games (Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques)
• Asterix and the Cauldron (Astérix et le chaudron)
• Asterix in Spain (Astérix en Hispanie)
• Asterix and the Roman Agent (La zizanie)
• Asterix in Switzerland (Astérix chez les helvètes)
• The Mansions of the Gods (Le domaine des dieux)
• Asterix and the Laurel Wreath (Les lauriers de César)
• Asterix and the Soothsayer (Le devin)
• Asterix in Corsica (Astérix en Corse)
• Asterix and Caesar's gift (Le cadeau de César)
• Asterix and the Great Crossing (La grande traversée)
• Obelix and co. (Obélix et compagnie)
• Asterix in Belgium (Astérix chez les belges)
• Asterix and the Great Divide (Le grand fossé)
• Asterix and the Black Gold (L'odyssée d'Astérix)
• Asterix and Son (Le fils d'Astérix)
• Asterix and the Magic Carpet (Astérix chez Rahazade)
• Asterix and the Secret Weapon (La rose et le glaive)
• Asterix and Obelix all at Sea (La galère d'Obélix)
• Asterix and the Actress (Astérix et Latraviata)

Avoid the books made after the death of René Goscinny, that is, after Astérix in Belgium ; Uderzo wrote the stories himself, and he is a bad writer. Since Asterix depends a lot on the script (usually in France, the writer only got half of what the cartoonist earned; on Asterix both Goscinny and Uderzo got as much), this makes the later volumes quite dull. The two last books, especially, are only a pale shadow of the original series. It seems Albert Uderzo is now more interested in adding a few more Ferraris to his collection than making good comics.

On the other hand, the best books of series are some of the finest comics you can find, American, French or Japanese. My favorites are Asterix and Cleopatra, Asterix in Corsica, and Asterix in Belgium, but tastes may vary.

The series was very important for the French comics. Tintin and Asterix are the comics that were considered as being for adults as well as for children, forever changing the way comics would be considered in France and Belgium. Asterix was seen as suitable reading for adults because of its many references to the politics, culture and foreign relations of the time, and is extensive use of usually good puns.

Seven cartoons have been made of the series, and two live movies, but none of those have been able to show the wit and intelligence of the series.

'Asterix' is a graphic comic book series created by the French writer/author; René Goscinny (04/08/1926 - 05/11/1977) (the founder of the French 'Piolote' magazine) and French(?) artist/illustrator; Albert Uderzo. And have been translated into English by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge.

When Goscinny died on the 5th Of November 1977 Uderzo continued on the work rather poorly. Some works were good while others drifted away from the original style and were regarded as poor. The introduction of robots and alien men did not fit the original style. But still, he is a great artist/illustrator.

The series' first appeared in the 1960's and has been published by numerous publishers many times over. The current editions are published by Orion Publishing Group and in the correct order for the first time.

The books are set in 50 B.C. when "Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Well, not entirely... One small village of indomitable Gaul's still holds out against the invaders. And life is not easy for the Roman Legionaries who garrison the fortified camps of Totorum, Aquarium, Laudanum and Compendium..."

Below is a listing of the 'Asterix' Albums printed in English....

Asterix Adventure Volume #01: Asterix The Gaul
Asterix Adventure Volume #02: Asterix And The Golden Sickle
Asterix Adventure Volume #03: Asterix And The Goths
Asterix Adventure Volume #04: Asterix The Gladiator
Asterix Adventure Volume #05: Asterix And The Banquet
Asterix Adventure Volume #06: Asterix And Cleopatra
Asterix Adventure Volume #07: Asterix And The Big Fight
Asterix Adventure Volume #08: Asterix In Britain
Asterix Adventure Volume #09: Asterix And The Normans
Asterix Adventure Volume #10: Asterix The Legionary
Asterix Adventure Volume #11: Asterix And The Chieftain's Shield
Asterix Adventure Volume #12: Asterix And The Olympic Games
Asterix Adventure Volume #13: Asterix And The Cauldron
Asterix Adventure Volume #14: Asterix In Spain
Asterix Adventure Volume #15: Asterix And The Roman Agent
Asterix Adventure Volume #16: Asterix In Switzerland
Asterix Adventure Volume #17: Asterix And The Mansion Of The Gods
Asterix Adventure Volume #18: Asterix And The Laurel Wreath
Asterix Adventure Volume #19: Asterix And The Soothsayer
Asterix Adventure Volume #20: Asterix In Corsica
Asterix Adventure Volume #21: Asterix And Caesars Gift
Asterix Adventure Volume #22: Asterix And The Great Crossing
Asterix Adventure Volume #23: Obelix & Co.
Asterix Adventure Volume #24: Asterix In Belgium
Asterix Adventure Volume #25: Asterix And The Great Divide
Asterix Adventure Volume #26: Asterix And The Black Gold
Asterix Adventure Volume #27: Asterix And Son
Asterix Adventure Volume #28: Asterix And The Magic Carpet
Asterix Adventure Volume #29: Asterix And The Secret Weapon
Asterix Adventure Volume #30: Asterix And Obelix All At Sea
Asterix Adventure Volume #31: Asterix And The Actress
Asterix Adventure Volume #32: Asterix And The Class Act
Asterix Adventure Volume #33: Asterix And The Falling Sky
Asterix Adventure Volume #34: Asterix And Obelix's Birthday
Asterix Adventure Volume #35: "Where's Asterix?"

The fourth last in the list ('Asterix And The Class Act'), is full of short stories and unusual to what the others are like. The book carries a lot of science fiction and changing of time.

The third last book in the list ('Asterix And The Falling Sky'), is very unusual. It is full of science fiction and doesn't really fit in the collection.

The second book in the list ('Asterix And Obelix's Birthday'), is a book celebrating 50 years of Asterix & Obelix and changes from 50 B.C. to the 2000's A.D. This also doesn't fit in in the series properly and is really a stand-alone book as you would well imagine.

And the last book in the list ('"Where's Asterix"'), is just a fun "games" book, much like the "Where's Wally" albums.

There is also another five Asterix books which are currently out of print.

The Twelve Tasks Of Asterix
Asterix Conquers America
Operation Getafix
How Obelix Fell Into The Magic Potion
Puzzle Book - Find Asterix

The first three books ('The Twelve Tasks Of Asterix', 'Asterix Conquers America', and 'Operation Getafix') are of films and really do not fit the 'Asterix And Obelix' style. The third book ('Puzzle Book - Find Asterix') is a book with paragraph writings and drawings. And the last book is like "Where's Wally" books but in scenes from 'Asterix' style pictures. - Just a fun "games" book.