Asterix : Search and Destroy

I read this (as I'm sure others have) as "Asterisk: Search and Destroy." I was going to say destroy Roger Maris's (even though it never actually existed), and after that I'm stuck. Carry on.

THIRTY YEARS TOO LATE

nonsense, it should just be retired

For years I thought an orgy just involved eating shitloads of food because of Asterix.

yeah, I wrote, and read out to the class, when I was seven, a story that was predicated on this misunderstanding. the teacher took me aside later to quietly enquire where I'd learned the word, but chose not to annotate.

For years I thought an orgy just involved eating shitloads of food because of Asterix.

hooooooly shit, me too, I forgot about this

Herge apparently preferred the English translations of Tintin to his originals. The Asterix translations are far less faithful to the originals, for obvious, pun-related reasons.

I suspect that this unnamed artist who will 'take over' drawing the strip has actually been doing most of the illustration work signed by Uderzo for some time, now.

Chap OTM about Goscinny - died far far too young, and his final scripts for Asterix and Lucky Luke show no sign of diminishing quality.

Ha, me too on the "orgy" thing.

What is Goscinny's work on Iznogoud like? If I love Asterix and like Lucky Luke and Le Petit Nicolas, it's probably worth a go, but where to start?

Not that I know where I'd find them any more - Blackwells bookshop in Oxford used to have a stand of less well-known-in-the-UK Euro comic books but I never knew where to start with any of them and now the stand isn't there, as I discovered when I had a craving to buy things by André Franquin.

Spacecadet, the Iznogoud books are terrific - w/ fantastic psuedo-exotica illustrations by Tabary - tho' they are incredibly formulaic - they seem to be pitched at a slightly younger audience than Asterix. There's a British-based company called Cinebooks who have, so far, published eight Iznogoud books, and lots of Lucky Luke volumes - you can order from their website, although I think Amazon is generally cheaper. I recently had to review Izngoud on Holiday for a 1001 Comics to Read Before you Die book (yeah I know), so that would be a good one to go for, imho. Each volume generally features four different short stories, unliked the book-length Asterix and Tintin volumes.

STILL waiting for Franquin to be properly translated!

OMG orgies! I remember a bunch of us telling one of our parents we were going to have an orgy - no wait, I think they were having some friends over and we asked if they were going to have one!

This is the best shared experience discovery ever.

Count me in the "orgy" gang too (phwoar!)

I'm still waiting for a good reason why the Franquin comics haven't been translated into English. It's one of the biggest insults to art IMO.

nonsense, it should just be retired

er, that's what I'm alluding to.

The series might have had a chance if a proper writer was brought on board. Only a slim chance, but a chance nonetheless. Now it's too deep in merde.

(I am saying thirty years btw because I'll always rep for Black Gold - it's the only book that Uderzo could've and should've written. And then it went downhill steeply. Down that cliff those Normans flew off.)

I suspect that this unnamed artist who will 'take over' drawing the strip has actually been doing most of the illustration work signed by Uderzo for some time, now.

this is p much openly stated by Uderzo in the article

sadly those Cinebooks versions of Lucky Luke are re-lettered in a clunky computer font that stopped this punter from buying the entire lot in Gosh last year (/pvmic)

Have we done an Asterix poll?

Best supporting characters = The Pirates
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PYnhgcSRCZc/TbKnJSOFGUI/AAAAAAAAAI0/MkIZqEIRMVo/s1600/asterix3.JPG

I once published an article about the translations - the writer felt there was lots added, much of it good, some of it idiotic.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 19:30 (8 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

ah man I'd really like to read this but it doesn't seem to be online

Aha, I have a few of the Cinebooks Lucky Lukes but didn't realise they'd also published some Iznogoud books. Thanks for the recommendation, Ward F.

Is the problem with English translations of Franquin that they're bad, or that they don't exist? I've never seen an English Gaston but I thought I'd seen English translations of Spirou & Fantasio, though I don't remember which era/writer and I'm not finding any on Amazon, so I may be mistaken.

xp I would also love to read that article. I think the Asterix translators did a very impressive job, though my French is too rusty to do justice to the originals, so I can't really compare and contrast.

They just haven't been translated - think there's a legal/political reason. I'd love to see Les Idées Noir translated into English.

How are the Lucky Luke translations?

The Luke translations from Cinebooks are dece, yeah - Morris didn't like pun-based humour, so linguistically they're far less tricky than Asterix.

Cool - I may investigate. I remember Luke being quite wordy to read in French somehow.

Re Spirou/Fantasio: I think only a couple were ever translated?

xp re Lucky Lukes: I can't comment on them as translations, but they're fun to read, although admittedly I prefer Asterix. Lots of little nuances that completely passed me by in other languages (assuming they were there!), e.g. the horse's acerbic/foppish asides, regarding all this cowboying as a hoof-dirtying nuisance which gets in the way of a nice game of chess, etc

too bad about Franquin, the other half is the son of a French teacher and grew up with Gaston, so he'd like to read more Franquin, but our collective French is a bit rusty now

Cinebooks have published a couple of post-Franquin Spirou volumes in English

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spirou-Vol-1-Adventure-Down-Under/dp/1849180113/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2UYPVDZEJFK3K&colid=J68FNACBJQ61

Spirou in New York, and Spirou in Australia, two decent (and only moderately racist) Tome and Janry stories, are available, there's also an out-of-print English Z for Zorglub, and these, published in India, but god knows how to buy them and apparently the translations are awful: http://koti.mbnet.fi/~z14/euro-comics/spirou_and_fantasio.html

I'm, uh, involved in a long-delayed project to translate QRN sur Bretzleburg, for, ahem, web distribution.

Incidentally, I just read a (non-Goscinny) Lucky Luke book about newspapers, "Le Daily Star". It's FANTASTIC.

Tintin has to be read in the original. The English translations of Asterix tend to be pretty good and even have jokes that aren't in the French versions.

― psychedelicatessen (seandalai), miércoles 28 de septiembre de 2011 0:23 (17 hours ago) Bookmark

I have only read both in English, by I would´ve thought it would be the other way round - Tintin´s humour is more character-based and visual, Asterix´s more verbal. Also Tintin transcends comedy more often.

wtf does transcends comedy mean?

The Orgy! Me too! It looked so good - long tables, massive plump, er, birds!

I picked up the latest title, Asterix & The Missing Scroll and enjoyed it a lot, I'm really happy that I can get back on the bus for the first time since the eighties.

Didier Conrad does a painstaking job on the artwork and the story, while a little heavy on modern day parallels (Wikileaks!), is the best since before Goscinny died, same with the first reboot title Asterix & The Picts.

Enjoying the Missing Scroll so far. Surprised to see more big-lipped African caricatures tho, and not just existing characters like the pirate.

Should probably stop reading it as I bought it for a present...

The last three (since the reboot) have all been very strong, it bodes well.

I have slowly been picking up the hardback first editions as a treat to myself, so many of my happy childhood memories are wrapped up in Asterix stories, I re-read Switzerland recently and it might be my all-time favourite, it's so beautifully executed and funny as hell, also weird, decadent Romans and their orgies, vomiting and green faced pancake makeup wearing ladies.

There's an Asterix exhibition at the Jewish Museum in London for the next few months, I must go.

Ah just discovered Uderzo is not writing them anymore, that's good because he was downright terrible. The Asterix canon stopped at Belgium to me, and I have read up until the Secret Weapon (feels weird to write the title in english), the Falling Sky looked so insulted to the spirit of Goscinny I abandoned the whole thing. Might give the Ferri ones a try then.

Are you familiar with the Sempé/Goscinny's classic Le Petit Nicolas?

Sadly I haven't ever read Le Petit Nicolas as I cannot read French, I really wish I did because there's a ton of bande dessinée that I am completely dying to read, things like Michel Vaillant. Not long ago I was staying in Paris at a little hotel smack in the middle of passage Jouffroy called Hotel Chopin and there is a great, atmospheric little shop right there, Le Petit Roi, with the most fantastic selection of bande dessinée.

I would recommend those three new releases from Ferri/Conrad.

I jumped off at around Asterix & Son, which was at the time and I was 11, Belgium is probably the last great one, but I've been a bit nerdy and have been picking up first issues of the later ones for completeness' sake, plus they're cheap, I got 5 first issue hardbacks of later titles for £4 each. I will read them sometime I guess.
good

Going back through them has been fun, I have a copy of Big Fight coming which I recall not liking very much at all as a 9 year old, I bet it's good, some of the others I wasn't so keen on have been really enjoyable when I revisited, Roman Agent, The Soothsayer.

Sadly I haven't ever read Le Petit Nicolas as I cannot read French, I really wish I did because there's a ton of bande dessinée that I am completely dying to read,

Le petit Nicolas is mostly not BD and four or five volumes were available in English when I was a kid (the '80s)

Had no idea Asterix had a new writer, will have to check those out since yall recommend them. Feel like there's still a lot of potential with those characters, but most of the Uderzo stories were awful

Phaidon Press in the UK have reissued translations of all the Nicolas books:

https://www.phaidon.com/nicholas/

There are also two recent French film adaptations(which I haven't seen), both available as Region 2 DVDs - Petit Nicolas and Nicolas on Holiday

i was raised on a strict diet of Asterix books, which isn't true as i was actually raised on a strict diet of food which is why i'm alive today - but nevertheless, Asterix taught me to read in English and French, and also draw to some extent as I was obsessed with the artwork.

I think I acquired the books through random means - some of them were French hardbacks that belonged at my grandparents' house, others I'd get out the library, and I think I devoured pretty much all that I could. I don't think I had much of a filter or background knowledge as to which were part of the original series and which were Uderzo-only, but I definitely remember the Switzerland one being amazing and I'm looking forward to re-reading it.

My mum got me Asterix and the Picts for Christmas the other year. To be honest, I didn't even finish it. The plot was a bit dull and it just didn't feel like it had the same Goscinny spark. The most ridiculous one is the Magic Carpet one. Appalling really and a total shark jump.

Obelix & Co is definitely one of the best I reckon.

XXP - Thanks for the link Ward, that looks ace!

There are also two recent French film adaptations(which I haven't seen), both available as Region 2 DVDs - Petit Nicolas and Nicolas on Holiday

I haven't seen these; are they adaptations of the original Goscinny/Sempé stories?

There's been a recent(ish) TV series as well which I've watched a couple of in French and German on Youtube. I believe the plots are mostly new stories written by Goscinny's daughter and done in an unnervingly luminous bulbous-headed CGI style. They seem a bit didactic and nowhere near as charming or hilarious as the original books but NB my German is bad and my French is worse so they may just be getting lost in translation.

I had a much-loved 80s paperback of a Nicolas book in English as a kid - "Nicholas and the Gang Again", I think? tadpole/camera/football team - and will def look for some of the Phaidon reprints. Looks like they're translated by Anthea Bell so I have high hopes.

Might have to get to That London for the Asterix/Goscinny exhibition too. Thanks, MaresNest!

The most ridiculous one is the Magic Carpet one.

nuh-uh, the most ridiculous one is The Falling Sky, I'm p. sure. don't read that one, anyone

although the fact that I read Magic Carpet aged 8 and Falling Sky aged 38 might not help

are they adaptations of the original Goscinny/Sempé stories?

I believe so, APS - here's the wiki link to the first movie (which was released in 2009, so not quite as 'recent' as I thought):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Nicholas

xp don't think i've read the falling sky. I seem to remember unicorns being in the Magic Carpet (!?)

Falling Sky has flying saucers and an alien with superpowers. It's pretty terrible and really didn't need to exist - in fact I feel bad even mentioning it, as it would be much better if we could all pretend it didn't. Not sure if it's better or worse that the innocuous title just made me think "ah, those Gauls, always worrying about the sky falling on their heads" rather than giving a clue to the true horrors within.

I don't remember much about the Magic Carpet tbh. I remember going to buy it with my birthday book token when it was new out and I do remember it being slightly disappointing even then but have blanked out any unicorns. It's probably the only Asterix book I got as a child which I've never felt the need to re-read, but I probably still have it somewhere, so if I feel brave I'll jog my memory...

Would be interested to know everybody's favourites.

No unicorns in Magic Carpet to my recollection - it's an Arabian Nights riff.

My fave as a kid was Legionary.

Peak period for me would be roughly 68-72, and especially

Asterix and the Laurel Wreath (my number one favourite)
Asterix and the Roman Agent
Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield
Asterix and the Cauldron
Asterix in Switzerland

The Nicolas stories had nice English paperbacks in the 80s; they've been reissued as fancy Phaidon hardcovers, which in the usual Phaidon style are pretty to look at but annoying to hold and read. Either way, they're great - quite low-key, and excellent translations as usual by Anthea Bell. They're closer in spirit to Emil & The Detectives than Asterix.

The Goscinny stories are incredibly consistent - almost every book was a favourite at one point or another in my childhood. and it's amazing how different the stories are, given that the main characters never change from book to book. Probably easier to list the ones I like less: Great Crossing, Asterix the Gaul, Belgium - but that's about it.

I suppose Chieftain's Shield is the exception to the rule about the characters never changing - it's a weirdly deep character dive into Vitalstatix - I always felt quite sad, finishing the book, when the character returns to usual self.

I saw the first Petit Nicolas movie when it came out and remember it as pretty close to the source material. Those books are great - just as chaotic as Asterix in their way. Stuff I remember includes the kids strategizing to attack older kids by kicking them in the shins and the one where the rich kid shows up on picture taking day dressed as an astronaut.

Laurel Wreath is a great one, it's interesting when the tone deviates slightly for a whole book and LW is almost a little salty by comparison. The in medias res style beginning, Vitalstatistix's rather aggressive hubris in the face of his Brother In Law's flexing and the weird mood that Asterix and Obelix are in on the first page, not to mention the drunken Zigackly! and Ferpectly!

Yeah, I noticed a little while ago that the Wiki entry for Laurel Wreath claims

This is by far the most adult-oriented of all the Asterix stories. It includes drunkenness, human slavery, debauchery, particularly graphic violence, androgyny, and instances of humour requiring (for Asterix) an unusually sophisticated knowledge of art and history to fully understand it. There is an implicit acknowledgement of this in that Dogmatix (a favourite with younger readers) makes only a token (2 panel) appearance, and the lettering in the original version of this album uses a style more cursive and difficult to read than usual, again discouraging younger readers (the updated version released in 2004 uses the same lettering style as all the other Asterix stories).

But I like it as much for all the family stuff, which again seems to cut a little deeper than in other Asterix albums - the conflict between the chief and his brother-in-law (the dinner party sequence at the beginning might just be Goscinny/Uderzo's finest moment), the alienated father and son reunited by Asterix and Obelix.

The B&Ms have the benefit of never being that good in the first place