|
The
moustachioed hero, who has been entertaining readers with his
magic-potion exploits alongside Obelix since 1959, has become a
mainstay in the publishing industry, with more than 370 million
albums sold worldwide.
As well as being translated into more than 100 languages, the
books have inspired a dozen movies and cartoon series, making it
a global phenomenon.
The latest edition, 'Asterix et la Transitalique' (Asterix and
the Chariot Race), is set in ancient Italy.
Rather than a showdown with Julius Caesar, it involves the
resolute Gauls meeting a tribe called the Italics who are also
fighting to remain independent from Rome.
The original books, written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by
Albert Uderzo, built up a mass following in the 1960s, 70s and
80s, with many childhood readers from those days still snapping
up the titles decades on.
After Goscinny's death in 1977, Uderzo wrote and illustrated the
series until he retired in 2009. The last three editions have
been written by Jean-Yves Ferri and drawn by Didier Conrad,
sticking closely to the original format.
"We had Italy in mind and then I had the idea of a chariot race,
a sort of rally from ancient times, a trip across the peninsula
leading from one city to another," said Ferri as he and Conrad
presented the new edition this week.
According to tradition, the latest Asterix features a new
villain, Coronavirus, a mysterious, masked chariot racer who
will stop at nothing to win.
While Uderzo plays a role overseeing the series, Ferri said he
had not asked for any changes.
"He wanted a team able to perpetuate the tradition and he put
his trust in us," he said. "He shows his support, but is not
really critical.
"The only change we had to make was putting a dot on the 'i' of
'italique'," he joked. "We agreed against our will."
With the Asterix movies proving box office successes, the books
have attracted a new, younger generation of followers. That is
reflected in the print run for Asterix and the Chariot Race,
with five million copies planned.
(Writing by Luke Baker; Editing by Gareth Jones)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
|
