Cartoon Astérix celebrates 50th birthday
Last Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2009 | 5:02 PM ET
CBC News
A stone emblazoned with an Astérix image is displayed in front of the Palais Brongniart in Paris, as part of the French cartoon's 50th anniversary celebrations. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)France celebrated the 50th anniversary of cartoon hero Astérix on Thursday, with the surviving creator of the iconic character honoured at events around Paris.
At historic sites around the French capital, open-air displays paid tribute to the diminutive, moustachioed Gaul and the hundreds of related characters René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo created five decades ago.
Astérix, his massive sidekick Obélix and their remote Brittany village perennially resisting the invasion of Roman soldiers debuted in the first edition of Pilote magazine in 1959.
Uderzo — the original illustrator, who added on writer duties after co-creator Goscinny's death in 1977 — was pleased with the outdoor Astérix "monuments" placed around Paris.
Erected near the Place de la Concorde, in front of the Eiffel Tower and in other locations, the displays featured images of the jovial characters or speech bubbles of famous exchanges from the series.
"It's wonderful. It's prestigious," the 82-year-old Uderzo told French TV network euronews.
"Now they must ask the mayor of Paris to keep this on. It's really beautiful. It must be kept on. It must not be removed," he quipped.
The city planned a host of events, including special galas, exhibits and street celebrations. A commemorative stamp will also be issued in France, while the Musée de Cluny has opened a rare exhibition of Uderzo and Goscinny's early Astérix sketches, manuscripts and even the old typewriter the latter used.
Uderzo has also released his latest, Astérix and Obélix's Birthday: The Golden Book. It's the 34th instalment of the stories, which have sold more than 325 million copies in 107 countries worldwide. The series also spawned a trio of live action films, countless related merchandise and even a theme park.
"This success was not expected at all. Even in France the success was not expected. We were pleased to discover the international appeal, firstly in Germany, which compared with that in France," Uderzo told the Guardian newspaper.
"I hope that [the stories] will survive us, that it will be able to still live. You know, the life of a hero is held only by the goodwill of the readers. That does not depend so much on the author. If it must continue, it will continue."
