Asterix the Gaul – René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo – First UK Edition, 1969 – Brockhampton Press

Author: René Goscinny
Illustrator: Albert Uderzo
Title: Asterix the Gaul
Translators: Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge
Publisher: Brockhampton Press, Leicester
Date: 1969
Edition: First UK Edition, First Impression
Series: An Asterix Adventure – Book One
Format: Large-Format Hardcover
Binding: Original Publisher’s Colour Pictorial Laminated Boards
Illustrations: Fully Illustrated in Colour Throughout
ISBN: 0-340-04240-0
Condition: Good to Very Good
Stock Number: 004222
Location: Book Room

Description

A scarce and highly collectible first UK edition, first impression of Asterix the Gaul, the original adventure introducing Asterix, Obelix and their indomitable village of Gauls to British readers. Written by René Goscinny, illustrated by Albert Uderzo and translated into English by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge, this landmark edition was published by Brockhampton Press in 1969.

The first adventure in one of the most successful and internationally celebrated European comic-book series, Asterix the Gaul introduces the extraordinary world of a small village in ancient Gaul whose inhabitants continue to resist the might of the Roman Empire through courage, ingenuity, irreverent humour and a magical potion that grants extraordinary strength. The present copy retains its original publisher’s colour pictorial laminated boards, featuring Asterix confronting a Roman soldier while Obelix looks on from a grassy bank. The rear board depicts Asterix accompanying Obelix, who carries one of his enormous menhirs. The original published price of 12/- (60p) and ISBN appear at the foot of the rear cover. The pages and original colour illustrations are generally very nice and clean, with occasional slight foxing. There is a neat ink ownership name at the top of the front blank. The binding remains firm and tight, although there is some wear to the spine and the corners of the front and rear boards and a crease to the top of the front board.

A good to very good copy of the scarce original 1969 British edition of the first Asterix adventure, an important landmark in the history of European comics and illustrated children’s literature.

René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo: The Creation of Asterix

The creation of Asterix was the result of one of the most successful creative partnerships in the history of European comics.

René Goscinny (1926–1977) was a French writer and humourist whose extraordinary gift for comic dialogue, wordplay and characterisation helped transform the development of Franco-Belgian illustrated storytelling. Born in Paris, he spent much of his childhood in Argentina and subsequently lived in the United States before establishing his career in France. Goscinny became associated with several important European comic series, including Lucky Luke and Iznogoud, but his collaboration with Albert Uderzo on Asterix became his most internationally successful achievement.

Albert Uderzo (1927–2020) was a French comic-book artist of Italian parentage whose distinctive drawing style combined expressive characters, energetic movement and an exceptional ability to communicate humour through visual storytelling.

Uderzo’s illustrations are particularly admired for their combination of exaggerated characterisation and carefully observed architectural, historical and geographical detail. The two creators began collaborating during the 1950s and developed the concept of Asterix for the launch of the French comic magazine Pilote. Their idea was to create a distinctively French comic hero whose adventures could draw upon the country’s ancient history while providing opportunities for satire, elaborate wordplay and affectionate observations of national characteristics. They chose the period of Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul and imagined a single village that had successfully resisted Roman occupation. The result was Asterix, a small but exceptionally resourceful Gaulish warrior, accompanied by his enormous and immensely strong friend Obelix.

The First Appearance of Asterix

Asterix made his debut in the first regular issue of the French comic magazine Pilote, published on 29 October 1959.

The original Asterix the Gaul adventure was serialised in the magazine between October 1959 and July 1960, introducing the characters and establishing the fictional world that would become familiar to readers around the world. The complete story was subsequently published in book form in France by Dargaud in 1961 under its original title, Astérix le Gaulois. This French first edition marked the beginning of the immensely successful series of illustrated albums that would eventually establish Asterix as one of the most recognisable figures in European popular culture.

The British edition followed in 1969, with the English-language text translated by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge.

The Story of Asterix the Gaul

The adventure begins in 50 BC, when almost the whole of Gaul has been conquered by Julius Caesar and the Roman legions.

Only one small village of indomitable Gauls continues to resist the invaders, protected by the extraordinary strength supplied by a magical potion prepared by the village druid, Getafix. The Romans, increasingly frustrated by their inability to subdue the inhabitants, attempt to discover the secret of the Gauls’ remarkable powers. When Getafix is captured, Asterix must devise a plan to rescue him and prevent the Roman forces from obtaining the formula for the magic potion. The resulting adventure introduces the essential ingredients of the Asterix stories: elaborate schemes, misunderstandings, Roman military incompetence, the resourcefulness of the Gauls and the wonderful contrast between the small but intelligent Asterix and his enormous companion Obelix. The story also introduces several characters who would become central to the series, including the village chief Vitalstatistix, the bard Cacofonix and the druid Getafix.

Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge: The English Translation

A particularly important aspect of the 1969 British edition is its translation by Anthea Bell (1936–2018) and Derek Hockridge (1934–2013).

Their contribution was fundamental to the success of Asterix among English-speaking readers.

Goscinny’s original French dialogue contains an abundance of elaborate puns, linguistic jokes, cultural references and humorous character names. A literal translation would have lost much of the comedy that made the series so successful. Bell and Hockridge approached the problem with considerable imagination, creating English-language names and dialogue that retained the spirit, pace and humour of the original. Among their best-known achievements was the transformation of the French character names into their now-familiar English equivalents.

The druid Panoramix became Getafix, the bard Assurancetourix became Cacofonix, and the village chief Abraracourcix became Vitalstatistix. These inventions were not merely translations but imaginative recreations designed to reproduce the comic effect of the original French names. Their work established the distinctive English-language voice of Asterix and played a substantial role in the series’ enduring popularity in Britain.

Condition

First UK Edition, First Impression, 1969. Large-format hardcover. Original publisher’s colour pictorial laminated boards, illustrated throughout in colour by Albert Uderzo.

The pages and illustrations are generally very nice and clean, with occasional slight foxing. A neat ink ownership name is present at the top of the front blank. The binding remains nice and tight. There is a crease to the top of the front board, some wear to the spine, particularly at the extremities, together with wear to the corners of the front and rear boards. The pictorial boards retain their distinctive original illustrations and remain attractive overall. A good to very good copy of the scarce first British edition of Asterix the Gaul, the first book in René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo’s internationally celebrated series.

The book is now housed in an easily removable clear acetate protective cover.

Stock Number: 004222 Location: Bookroom

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