Asterix

Asterix is the main character of the widely popular comic book series created by René Goscinny. The stories trace the adventures of this gutsy hero residing in the village, Armorica, an remote location in Gaul, which is an ancient name for the area now being occupied by France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany. In the comic series, the people of Gaul are going through an eternal conflict with the might of the Roman Empire.

Asterix is a great warrior who is considered almost like a saviour of humble residents of Gaul. The amount of trust his fellow countrymen have in him, stems from his incredible strength and street smartness; the former attribute can be credited to the magic portion given to him by the Druid Getafix. Asterix is aided in all his deadly missions by his best friend Obelix, a hulk of a human being with a penchant for both wild boar and battle.

Asterix is considered as the most widely read French comics with the complete 33 editions being translated into more than 100 languages and dialects. The popularity of the legend could be accredited to the eternal ‘good verses evil’ war and the victory of the underdog in an unequal contest. The series, incorporating humour and a fast-paced narrative in equal measure, are liked by readers of all ages. The popularity of Asterix can be garnered from the fact that even in ‘The adventures of Tintin’, another legendary comic series, there is a reference to Asterix in one of his adventure stories.