Asterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). Image File history File links Asterixcover-asterix_the_gaul. ... René Goscinny (August 14, 1926 – November 5, 1977) 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 early issues of the comic book series Lucky Luke with Morris. ... Albert Uderzo Albert Uderzo (born April 25, 1927 in France) is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). ... This article is about the comic book series. ... This is a list of all 33 Asterix official volumes. ... René Goscinny (August 14, 1926 – November 5, 1977) 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 early issues of the comic book series Lucky Luke with Morris. ... Albert Uderzo Albert Uderzo (born April 25, 1927 in France) is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. ...

Plot summary

All Gaul is divided into three parts. No, four — for one small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the Roman invaders.... Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Centurion Crismus Bonus, keen to discover the secret of the Gauls' superhuman strength, sends a spy into the village. The Roman's identity is revealed when he loses his false moustache, but he discovers the existence of the magic potion brewed by the Druid Getafix. With that potion, Crismus Bonus believes that he could overthrow Julius Caesar, and become Emperor himself. So, he kidnaps Getafix to get the recipe. Centurion redirects here. ... For other uses, see Druid (disambiguation). ... This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ...

When Asterix joins the druid in captivity, he and the druid demand a list of hard-to-find ingredients for the magic potion. Though magical, this turns out to be a very different brew — an extremely potent potion that causes the hair and beard of the drinker to begin growing at a rapid pace. The Romans eventually convince Getafix to make an antidote, and Getafix does make it. At the same time, he also prepares a small quantity of the real magic potion for Asterix to drink. The two then begin bashing their way out of the Roman camp. As they are attempting to escape, they are stopped by a huge army of Roman reinforcements and are captured again. For other uses, see Druid (disambiguation). ... A potion (from Latin potio, potionis, meaning beverage, potion, poison) is a drinkable medicine or poison. ... For the 1968 stage production, see Hair (musical), for the 1979 film, see Hair (film). ... For the slang term, see Beard (female companion). ...

When Crismus Bonus returns to his tent, he find Julius Caesar there checking on the condition of the area. Upon meeting Asterix and Getafix, he learns of Crismus Bonus' intentions. He then frees Asterix and Getafix for giving him the information, while reminding them that they are still enemies. As punishment, he sends Crismus Bonus away to Outer Mongolia, where there is a barbarian rebellion. This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... Outer Mongolia makes up Mongolia (presently a sovereign state) and Tannu Uriankhai (the majority of which is the modern-day Tuva Republic, a federal subject of the Russian Federation), while Inner Mongolia (内蒙古; Nèi Měnggǔ) is an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... For other uses, see Barbarian (disambiguation). ...

Characters

Introducing

• Asterix - Gaulish warrior
• Obelix - Gaulish menhir delivery man
• Getafix - Gaulish druid
• Vitalstatistix - Chief of the Gaulish Village
• Cacofonix - Gaulish bard
• Fulliautomatix - Gaulish blacksmith
• Julius Caesar - Roman leader (historical)

This article is about the comic book series. ... Obelix and his trusty menhir. ... This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... This is a list of recurring characters in the Asterix comics. ... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ...

Development

Because this is the first album, many story points and characterizations 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.
• 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 where he is never allowed to sing, and is tied up and gagged at feasts to prevent this.
• One of the few books where we get to see some of Getafix's other tricks, namely, the hair-growth potion and its antidote.
• When his first introuduced in the ,proulouge, Ceasar has a compleetley diffrent look than he has in the rest of the series (NOTE when he apears in the end of the album he has aleraedy gotten his new look, this can be seen as an error)

The running gag is a popular hallmark of comic and serious forms of entertainment. ...

Publishing history

The story was first published as a serial in Pilote, a French comic magazine founded by Goscinny and a few other comic artists. The term serial refers to the intrinsic property of a series —namely its order. ... Cover for Pilote by Robert Crumb. ...

The first page appeared in the promotional issue #0, distributed on June 1, 1959, and the story was serially published in the magazine from issue #1 (October 29, 1959) until issue #38 (July 14, 1960). A small head of Asterix first appeared on the cover of #9 (December 24, 1959), and a full Asterix cover was used on #21 (March 17, 1960). is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 358th day of the year (359th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The next story, Asterix and the Golden Sickle, started in issue #42 (August 11, 1960). Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Asterix le Gaulois was published in July 1961 by Dargaud in the so-called "Pilote collection" with a print of 6000 copies. A Dutch translation followed in 1966, and other languages followed soon after. Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Les Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian and French comic book series. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

The English translation by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge was first published in 1969 by Brockhampton Press. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Anthea Bell is a well known translator who has translated numerous literary works, especially childrens literature, from French, German, Danish and Polish to English. ... Derek Hockridge is lecturer and expert in French society and culture, and the co-translator along with Anthea Bell of the world famous Asterix comic books, written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Brockhampton Press was a British publishing company, based in Leicester. ...

Notes

• This album establishes the convention that all Gaulish male names end in -ix, and all Roman male names end in -us.
• 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 uses the redone illustrations from the French editions. ^{[1] [2]}
• Throughout the entire Asterix series, the Roman legionaries use the wrong weaponry and armor for their period. For instance, their armor is the lorica segmentata, which was the standard during the Roman Empire era; in Caesar's time, chainmail armor (the lorica hamata) was in use. Also, the real-life Roman legionaries used pila (javelins) instead of spears, and they usually carried two of them.

Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hodder Headline. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Orion Publishing Group Ltd. ... A reenactor dressed as a Roman soldier in lorica segmentata The lōrīca segmentāta was a type of armour primarily used in the Roman Empire, but the Latin name was first used in the 16th century (the ancient form is unknown). ... David rejects the unaccustomed armour (detail of fol. ... Detail of metal links. ... Reconstruction of a post-Marian pilum A Roman coin showing Antoninianus of Carinus holding pilum and globe. ... Javelin (Greek: ακόντιο, Latin: verutum, German: Wurfspeer, French: javelot, Spanish: jabalina, Dutch: werpspeer, Italian: giavellotto, Hindi: bhala) is the name of a pole weapon designed primarily for casting as a ranged weapon. ...

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 Asterix and the Golden Sickle, made by the same animation team, was scrapped. Asterix the Gaul was a film released in 1967, and based on the book Asterix the Gaul, which was the first book in the highly popular comic series Asterix by Goscinny and Uderzo. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). ...

In other languages

• Bengali: Gauljoddha Asteriks
• Catalan: Astèrix el Gal
• Dutch: Asterix de Galliër
• Estonian: Gallialane Asterix
• Finnish: Asterix gallialainen
• German: Asterix der Gallier
• Greek: Αστερίξ ο Γαλάτης
• Hebrew: אסטריקס הגאלי
• Icelandic: Ástríkur Gallvaski
• Italian: Asterix il Gallico
• Mirandese: Asterix, L Goulés
• Norwegian: Asterix og hans tapre gallere
• Polish: Przygody Gala Asteriksa
• Portuguese: Astérix o Gaulês
• Serbian: Астерикс Галски јунак
• Spanish: Asterix el Galo
• Swedish: Asterix och hans tappra galler
• Turkish: Galyalı Asteriks
• Welsh: Asterix y Galiad

Bengali or Bangla (IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit languages. ... Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, and in the city of LAlguer in the Italian island of Sardinia. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... The Mirandese language (Lhéngua Mirandesa in Mirandese; Língua Mirandesa or Mirandês in Portuguese) is spoken in northeastern Portugal. ... Serbian (; ) is one of the standard versions of the Shtokavian dialect, used primarily in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and by Serbs in the Serbian diaspora. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...

Sources

1. ^ [1] - Background document from the Official Asterix Website
2. ^ [2] - Page on the changes from Asterix International!

• (French) BDoubliées. Le journal Pilote par année. Retrieved on 2006-06-09.