Asterix at the Olympics (comic)

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Asterix at the Olympic Games (French original title: Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques ) is the twelfth volume in the Asterix comic series . The drawings are by Albert Uderzo , the texts by René Goscinny . In 2008 the film of the same name for the comic was released.

action

In the Roman camp Aquarium near the small Gallic village, the legionnaire trains muscles for participation in the Olympic Games . When the Gauls find out about it, they decide to take part, because thanks to the magic potion of their druid Miraculix they are invincible. Tullius Redeflus, the Roman centurion, points out that, apart from Greeks, only Romans are allowed to take part in the games. Asterix reminds the Gauls that they too have been Romans since the conquest of Gaul. The Gauls therefore choose Asterix and Obelix as athletes, but all the men in the village set off with them to Greece to support them in the games.

In Olympia, the Roman athletes learn from Musculus and Tullius Redeflus that two invincible Gauls will take part in the games. The ambition of the Romans dies, and instead of training they begin with boisterous orgies. However, it turns out that the ingestion of strength-enhancing agents is strictly prohibited. The Romans then start training again full of confidence, while the Gauls Obelix withdraw as athletes and decide that Asterix should represent the village alone - without a magic potion.

In the competition, neither Asterix nor the Romans have a chance against the well-trained Greeks. When a race reserved solely for the Romans is announced, Asterix and the druid Miraculix outsmart the Romans, who all secretly drink magic potion in order to look good as the winner of the competition before Caesar. Asterix is ​​lapped by everyone else, but the Romans are disqualified for the magic potion and Asterix wins the olive branch.

At the feast after returning to the Gallic village, Asterix reveals that he had given the olive branch to Musculus. Musculus and Tullius Redeflus are promoted by Caesar.

Remarks

The volume was published in 1968, the year of the Summer Olympics in Mexico . The story was first published in Pilote magazine, from February 15, 1968 (during the Grenoble Winter Olympics ) (No. 434) to July 25, 1968 (No. 455). The German translation was published in 1972, the year of the Summer Olympics in Munich.

Goscinny and Uderzo have immortalized themselves in this volume: On panel 25B (page 29 of the German edition) there is a relief at the entrance to the Olympic village; under the two figures are the names "ΓΟΣΚΙΝΝΙ" and "ΥΔΕΡΖΟ".

In this story Methusalix, the village elder, makes his first big appearance. As a still nameless figure, however, he appears in earlier stories. The bard Troubadix is ​​not, as is usually the case, tied up and gagged during the final celebration, but takes part in the feast together with the others. However, earlier in the comic, he is forbidden from singing the Olympic march.

Comic and history

Romans were only allowed to use it from the 2nd century BC. To participate in the Olympic Games; until then only Greek athletes were allowed there. Gauls would not have been allowed to participate until 100 years later, when they became citizens of the Roman Republic.

publication

In France, the story first appeared in 1968 as a series in the French magazine Pilote in issues 434–455 and was published in 1968 as an album by Dargaud . In the German translation, the story was first printed by Ehapa-Verlag in 1972 in the MV-Comix magazine (issues 42-49) and published in 1972 as the 12th volume in the Asterix series. In 2002 this volume was reissued and received a new cover picture.

The volume was published in English, Spanish, Turkish, Ancient Greek, Latin and in the dialects “ Palatinate ” and “ Styrian ”.

In 2004 the band appeared in a limited special edition for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens .

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Barry Stone: Asterix at the Olympic Games. In: Paul Gravett (ed.) And Andreas C. Knigge (transl.): 1001 comics that you should read before life is over . Edition Olms, Zurich 2012, p. 286.