Readers and collectors’ delight

Manpriya Singh

Well, the sky never really fell on the Gaulish village surrounded by Romans, but it finally fell on Tuesday on all the Asterix fans when the news its co-creator and illustrator Albert Uderzo passing away, in his sleep at 92 at his home in Neuillly, came in. Ask a typical Asterix fan, and he’ll tell you the signature UDERZO scribbled on the bottom left of any comic book is what makes it what it is. The proverbial magic potion of the series, in reality ran out.

Did you know?

The superhero commands a superhuman price when a signed original illustration for an early Asterix comic book cover was sold for a record 1.4 million Euros at a Paris auction house in 2017!

Starting 1959, even though Uderzo and Goscinny together created 24 books, when author Goscinny died in 1977, Albert Uderzo took over the series for writing. In 2011, Uderzo handed over the reins to a younger artist after 52 years of creating the comic hero.

Born in rural France in 1927, it wasn’t difficult for Albert Uderzo to rustle up a French character along with his friend and writer Rene Goscinny in 1959. The legend has it that they were dreaming of a character for the new children’s magazine and the only brief from the editor was, ‘That it had to be a character taken from French culture’.

Endearing character

But to make that character so endearing is what makes the books far removed from American superheroes of the time. The oh-so-smart, shrewd and adorable Asterix paired with the ever-strong and always hungry Obelix; continue to waltz through the hearts of millions of fans through estimated 370 million copies sold by 2017.

It was hard to believe and tougher to sink in, with the cartoon fans and cartoonists themselves coming together to bid adieu to the French illustrator, “the genius”, “the master”. Tributes continue to pour in with Rafeal Albuquerque, behind the Blue Beetle and American Vampire fame, himself admitting to being greatly influenced by Uderzo.

Twitter tributes

“Sad to hear about the passing of master Albert Uderzo. Believe it or not, one of my biggest influences in comics. Asterix was the first comic I’ve read, from my aunt’s bookshelf. With him, I learnt about the expression more than anyone. Merci Maitre,” he tweeted, with the same words echoing the sentiments of millions. Closer home, it’s no different, with city-born Mumbai based actor producer Karan Singh Chhabra, last seen in The State of Siege, saddened by the demise of the legend. “Oumpah-pah is my favourite character. RIP Albert Uderzo.”

Comic book writer Mark Miller, known for Marvel Knights Spider-Man, among several others, called Asterix series, “My gateway drug to beautiful European comics. I just bought this two weeks ago for my office. The Master!” Maybe precisely the reason why Asterix volumes are preserved in homes and passed on among generations. If at all, trading hands, they are also the first grabbed at second hand bookstores across the countries. Together, Asterix & Obelix fought the Romans, made friends with millions and now 11 films and Asterix theme park later, it’s time to relive and start by smelling the yellowed page prized editions of the many characters he continues to be survived by.

manpriya@tribunemail.com