Amidst the world transforming headlines from the Covid-19 virus around the globe, there was sad news from France today.
Albert Udezo, who along with his friend René Goscinny, created the Asterix comics in 1959. Together, they created the comic adventure stories of Gaulish warriors in a corner of France, who were the last village standing and fighting against the Roman Empire.
Urderzo had drawn the comics for the iconic series, and he outright took over the writing of Asterix after Goscinny's died in 1977.
Asterix books have sold over 370 million copies worldwide, and in dozens of languages. There have also been some feature films, the most famous of which have starred famous French actor Gérard Depardieu as Obelix, who is the best friend of Asterix. Obelix was supposed to have fallen into a vat of the secret concoction that only the Gaulish villagers have access to, which gives them super strength. That is the reason why they manage to hold off the Romans for so long, and this resistance is the reason why the Romans are so obsessed with taking over this one last holdout against their might empire.
On a personal note, Asterix was quite big in my family. My father remembered enjoying Asterix comics from his younger years, while my brother and I also enjoyed them decades later. When we would take trips to France, I collected the popular comic books (literally, hard cover books, and not anything similar to Marvel or DC comics of the time). My personal favorite was Tintin, but I also very much enjoyed Lucky Luke and, of course, Asterix. It should be noted that Udezo also played a huge role in the creation of one Lucky Luke book, "Le Cavalier blanc" (known in English as "The Dashing White Cowboy"). Those were the big three French language comics that I particularly enjoyed, and which still to this day remind me of summers in France back in the eighties. They were a source of comfort and enjoyment to me while on those trips, and reminded me of those pleasant trips once they were gone. Even now, they remind me of that element of my childhood.
Even my Polish girlfriend knew and very much enjoyed Asterix. He was apparently well known even in Poland during the days of communist rule there. Again, he had a universal appeal.
While new Tintin books were not still coming out when I was younger, there were (and until very recently, still are) new Asterix and Lucky Luke books that regularly come out. That might change after this, but Udezo and others left us their gift of these comic books to enjoy as we wish. Like John Lennon said following the breakup of the Beatles, there were still the music albums to enjoy them by. With Udezo and the other creators of Asterix, we will always have the comic books to remember and enjoy.
On a personal note, Asterix was quite big in my family. My father remembered enjoying Asterix comics from his younger years, while my brother and I also enjoyed them decades later. When we would take trips to France, I collected the popular comic books (literally, hard cover books, and not anything similar to Marvel or DC comics of the time). My personal favorite was Tintin, but I also very much enjoyed Lucky Luke and, of course, Asterix. It should be noted that Udezo also played a huge role in the creation of one Lucky Luke book, "Le Cavalier blanc" (known in English as "The Dashing White Cowboy"). Those were the big three French language comics that I particularly enjoyed, and which still to this day remind me of summers in France back in the eighties. They were a source of comfort and enjoyment to me while on those trips, and reminded me of those pleasant trips once they were gone. Even now, they remind me of that element of my childhood.
Even my Polish girlfriend knew and very much enjoyed Asterix. He was apparently well known even in Poland during the days of communist rule there. Again, he had a universal appeal.
While new Tintin books were not still coming out when I was younger, there were (and until very recently, still are) new Asterix and Lucky Luke books that regularly come out. That might change after this, but Udezo and others left us their gift of these comic books to enjoy as we wish. Like John Lennon said following the breakup of the Beatles, there were still the music albums to enjoy them by. With Udezo and the other creators of Asterix, we will always have the comic books to remember and enjoy.
RIP. You will be missed. But what a great gift he left for us to enjoy for many years to come.
Albert Uderzo: Asterix co-creator and illustrator dies aged 92 by BBC News, 24 March 2020:
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