Asterix as a legionnaire

Asterix als Legionnaire (French original title: Astérix légionnaire ) is a comic strip in the Asterix series that was written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo . The comic first appeared in 1966 and is the tenth volume in the series. The 1985 cartoon Asterix - Victory over Caesar is based in part on this tape.

action

Obelix falls in love with the young, blonde Falbala. He shyly courted her, but then had to find out that she had a fiancé - Tragicomix, who was recently forced into the Roman army and had to move to Africa . Asterix and Obelix decide to get him back and travel to Condate ( Rennes ). When they found out at the headquarters of the Roman Legion that Tragicomix is already on the way to Africa, they register as volunteers for the Roman army and complete the basic training together with some other volunteers of various nationalities.

They travel to Africa with their new comrades and learn that Tragicomix has been captured by Scipio's troops. They storm Scipios camp and free him. With their attack they help Julius Caesar to defeat Scipio. In gratitude, Caesar allows them to return home with Tragicomix. Falbala is overjoyed and thanks Asterix and Obelix with a kiss. Obelix then faints. When the Gauls celebrate the big feast together, Asterix sits dreamily away on the branch of a tree.

Remarks

This volume draws its particular comedy from the mixture of peoples in the Gaulish centurion , which confronts their national stereotypes and, despite the efforts of the translator, causes numerous misunderstandings. At the same time, the story is a parody of military drill and discipline, which the invincible Gauls undermine with wit and composure.

The picture of the defeated pirates on page 35 cites The Raft of the Medusa ( Le Radeau de la Méduse ), a painting by the French romantic Théodore Géricault .

Tragicomix is a caricature by the young Jean Marais .

Falbala is said to have been inspired by Ada Milani, the future wife of Uderzo.

Comic and history

The battle between Caesar and Scipio actually took place in Thapsus in what is now Tunisia ( Battle of Thapsus ). As in the comic, Caesar won the war. Scipio was a supporter of Caesar's enemy Pompey , who was already dead by this point. It is also true that there were Gauls among Caesar's legionaries during this war. However, the prerequisites for joining were the Latin language , an age between 18 and 21 years and a minimum height of over 1.65 meters.

publication

The story was published in Pilote issues 368-389 from November 10, 1966 . Astérix légionnaire was first published in 1967 by Dargaud as volume 10 of the series. In Germany, readers first saw Asterix as a legionnaire in 1969 in issues 4 to 12 of the MV-Comix magazine . The German first edition of the book was in 1971. In 2002 this volume was reprinted and received a revised cover picture.

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