Asterix

Asterix

▪ cartoon character
French  Astérix 

      French cartoon character, a small-statured, cunning Gallic warrior who, with the help of a magical strength potion, defends his village and goes on comic globe-trotting adventures. Asterix was created by writer René Goscinny (Goscinny, René) and illustrator Albert Uderzo and debuted in 1959 in the French comic magazine Pilote.

      Asterix is one of the most beloved characters in French popular culture. He resides in a remote Gaulish village in the middle of the Roman Empire, as does his best friend, Obelisk. Having fallen into a vat of the potion when he was an infant, Obelisk is extraordinarily strong. He is also rather clumsy and is the frequent (if unwitting) source of injuries and accidents in the village. He is not allowed to drink the strength potion for fear that it will make him even more destructive, and his attempts to sneak a draft are the source of many comic mishaps.

      Asterix, Obelisk, and their fellow villagers regularly scuffle with Roman legionnaires, an activity that the Gauls thoroughly enjoy. Asterix's adventures carry him to many locales, including Spain, Greece, Egypt, and (precolonial) America. Foreign cultures are portrayed in humorous stereotype (as are the French); Asterix generally responds to their foibles with amazed disbelief. He inevitably contributes something substantive to the cultures he visits, such as bringing about the Britons' discovery of tea and the Belgians' creation of French fries.

      Goscinny and Uderzo began working together in 1951, creating a number of comic book heroes who met with varying degrees of success. The 1959 debut of Asterix was an immediate sensation, and the character quickly became the central focus of the collaborators' careers. In 1977 Goscinny died suddenly at age 51, in the middle of the production of Asterix's 24th bound “album.” Uderzo continued creating new Asterix stories as both writer and illustrator, though he kept Goscinny's name on the cover of all subsequent volumes.

      In addition to more than 30 comic book albums, which have been translated into dozens of languages, Asterix has spawned a number of live-action and animated films, a vast array of merchandise, and even an amusement park, Parc Astérix, north of Paris.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Asterix — Astérix Pour les articles homonymes, voir Astérix (homonymie).  Ne doit pas être confondu avec Astérisque …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Asterix — Logo von Asterix …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Astérix — Dieser Artikel handelt von der Comicserie Asterix und Obelix; zu anderen Bedeutungen dieses Begriffes siehe Asterix (Begriffsklärung). Logo von Asterix …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Astérix — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Astérix (homonymie). Astérix Série …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Asterix — Superherobox caption = Most characters of Asterix character name = Asterix publisher = Dargaud (France) debut = Pilote #1 (October 29, 1959) creators = René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo alter ego = Astérix (French) full name = species = homeworld …   Wikipedia

  • Asterix — Ạsterix,   eigentlich Astérịx, Titelheld der gleichnamigen französischen Comicserie von R. Goscinny und dem Zeichner A. Uderzo, der seit Goscinnys Tod die Serie allein weiterführt. Asterix erscheint seit 1959 in der Comiczeitschrift »Pilote«.… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Asterix — noun a) A series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo about an ancient Gaul man named Asterix. b) The fictional ancient Gaul man who is the protagonist and title character of the series …   Wiktionary

  • Asterix — As|te|rix the main character in a ↑cartoon strip set in ancient times. Asterix is a short, humorous French soldier who fights the ancient Romans with his friend Obelix …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Asterix le Gaulois — Astérix le Gaulois Pour les articles homonymes, voir Astérix (homonymie). Astérix le Gaulois Série Genre(s) Humour Scénario René Goscinny Albert Uderzo …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Asterix le gaulois — Astérix le Gaulois Pour les articles homonymes, voir Astérix (homonymie). Astérix le Gaulois Série Genre(s) Humour Scénario René Goscinny Albert Uderzo …   Wikipédia en Français

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