The battle of the chiefs

The battle of the chiefs (French original title: Le combat des chefs ) is a comic strip of the Asterix & Obelix series, which was written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo . It was first published in 1964 in Pilote magazine . In the original it is the seventh volume, but in Germany it is the fourth. In 1989 the comic served as a template for part of the cartoon Asterix - Operation Menhir .

action

The Romans try to defeat the indomitable Gauls with a new tactic : They decide to let the chiefs fight a traditional battle . The winner of such a fight traditionally becomes the chief of both tribes. The Romans choose the Rome-friendly chief of Serum, Augenblix (in older editions: Aplusbegalix), who is particularly strong physically. To ensure that Majestix can be defeated, the Romans decide to catch the druid Miraculix beforehand so that he can no longer make a magic potion.

A small Roman raider sets out for the Gallic village and ambushes the druid. Disguised as "bushes", they can approach the druid and want to arrest him. Asterix and Obelix notice this and hurry over. Obelix throws his menhir and accidentally hits the druid, who then loses his memory and can neither remember the Gaulish villagers nor the recipe for the magic potion.

Augenblix now challenges Majestix to a fight. The Gauls try everything to make the druid remember the recipe and give him cauldrons and ingredients. Miraculix cooks various potions, but they end in explosions. The Gauls decide to get a second druid to help them. Asterix and Obelix seek out Amnesix, whose specialty is healing people who have lost their minds. Amnesix comes to the Gaulish village and asks Obelix to describe the menhir fall. Obelix demonstrates this by throwing his menhir at him, whereupon both druids are now without memory.

The Romans learned from a spy that the druid can no longer brew the potion. The battle of the chiefs begins and Majestix has to participate without a potion. Obelix, however, has an idea: To heal the druid, he throws his menhir a second time at Miraculix - who at that moment has healed through a potion mixed by Amnesix. However, the litter does no further damage. The druid cooks the magic potion and they bring the potion in bottles to the arena where the fight is already underway. Majestix, who lost to Augenblix, tries to avoid direct confrontation by constantly evading his opponent. When Asterix calls out to his chief that they now have the magic potion, Majestix pauses and defeats the meanwhile completely out of breath Augenblix with a punch.

The Romans attack, but thanks to the magic potion they are defeated by the Gauls. Majestix renounces becoming chief of Augenblix's tribe. However, he was hit by a menhir during the fight and has since lost his memory. The village of Serum eventually turned away from Roman culture and returned to the customs of its ancestors. The victory is celebrated in the Gallic village with a large feast.

publication

It was first published in 1964 in Pilote magazine . In 2001 the comic was published in Munich under the title "Ozabfd is!"

Remarks

References within the series

After Asterix and Obelix made trips to Lutetia , Germania , Rome and Egypt as well as a complete tour through Gaul , this is the first story since volume 1 that takes place exclusively in the area around the village.

It is one of the few volumes where other druids can be seen.

For the first time you see another Gallic tribal chief. Another chief can be seen in Asterix und der Kupferkessel with Moralelastix.

It is also the only time in this volume that Idefix has been left in the care of Majestix for a short time.

Modern covers

This volume is on a poster the Marsupilami of André Franquin as "fabulous mythical creature from Mars" (in later editions as "wonders of nature: the Marsupilamix") to be seen.

Allusions to people

The Roman adjutant Spreizfus is based on the Italian philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli . Its commander Centurion Lacmus could be a caricature of Benito Mussolini .