This is where it all began, the first episode as it were (though technically Goscinny and Uderzo had already collaborated on the short-lived "Oum Pah Pah" series). I have been a fan of comics for more than 40 years now and the Asterix books have been among my favorites for about 35. In general they embody a combination of winning characters, intelligence, fun, and virtuosic artwork that is almost unique in the power of its totality.
The first story is a good one, a worthy introduction to the unlikely cast of characters who have gone on to delight and amuse hundreds of millions of readers. I give it 4 stars only because the artwork is somewhat undeveloped and raw; also there was some sort of problem with one of the pages which for years appeared blurry and messed up--this problem might have been corrected in the newest printings (?). And in light of the heights to which the characters, story lines, and artwork would later soar, I have to hold back that last star, reserved as it is for works that somehow attain some sort of perfection.
But this is by no means an inferior Asterix adventure (sadly, there are a few duds in the oevre, most of them coming after the death of Goscinny in 1977). It is fine, it is better than fine, it is good, and since it is the beginning of a remarkable journey it is a must for those drawn to a small village of indomitable Gauls who still hold out against the invader...Get more detail about Asterix the Gaul.
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