ASTERIX GOES POLITICAL IN NOT-SO-SUBTLE LAMPOON OF US
"Asterix and the Falling Sky" -- the 33rd album based on the adventures of the diminutive Gallic warrior -- went on sale around the world Friday, surprising some readers with a none-too-subtle lampoon of the United States.
In a controversial departure, author and illustrator Albert Uderzo, 78, introduces creatures from outer space who visit the famous village on the Brittany coast in search of its strength-inducing magic potion.
The creatures are led by a cuddly toy who has at his beck and call an army of dim superman clones in tights and capes. They announce they are from a planet called TADSYLWINE -- an anagram of Walt Disney -- and that their "sage" goes by the name of HUBS -- an anagram of Bush.
In an interview with France-Soir newspaper, Uderzo -- who has created the comic books single-handed since the death of author Rene Goscinny in 1977 -- admitted he was dabbling for the first time in international politics.
In Belgium, where comic-strips are treated with great seriousness, critic and cartoon expert Hugues Dayez said the album "completely goes against the spirit of Asterix and Obelix."
"The two heroes are reduced to walk-on parts while two hordes of extraterrestrials invade the village. Visibly short of ideas, Uderzo has written an idiotic script full of gimmicks worthy of a theme-park," he said.
"The spirit of parody is dead and buried. All the jokes fall flat," said La Libre Belgique newspaper.
- The Tocqueville Connection
All very interesting. I had a small collection of Asterix comic books as a younger man.* I'm also a fan of the cartoon films from the '60s, especially "Asterix and Cleopatra."
Still, I've read one or two of those done by Uderzo alone and no, they're not as good. But...
*And I just requested a bakers dozen of them from the library. Push-button nostalgia. Gotta love it.
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