What set the Asterix series apart from all the other comics is that they were intelligent, funny, adventurous and popular worldwide. That's an extraordinary combo. Take the other comics of my time—The Adventures of Tin Tin, Archie, The Phantom (remember him, anyone?), Mandrake, the Magician (OK, I'm carbon dating, or comic dating myself here), Peanuts, Popeye, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Amar Chitra Katha, et al. I greatly enjoyed all of them, but I didn't adoooore them, as I did Asterix.

At heart, Asterix is the story of an underdog outwitting a mighty Empire, friendship and adventures. The heroes are not handsome buddies with six-packs; their creators made key characters hard to like. Asterix is a shorty gavti (rural) type with a droopy moustache; his mota dost Obelix, who relishes wild boar, is a junglee by Indian standards. Yet, the two hold out against Julius Caesar's mighty Roman empire, by their wits—and a swig of magic potion, which briefly gives Asterix superhuman abilities. And we love them unconditionally.

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.76%

AAP 43.10%

INC 24.14%

Submit

View All In Poll

Asterix comics are even intellectual. You had to delight in languages to appreciate the humour, such as a druid (priest-doctor) being called Getafix, and it was peppered with Latin phrases like Alea jacta est (the die is cast). Yet, there were plenty of belly laughs, verbal and visual gags for the non-Latinwallahs too. My favourite is Asterix the Legionary, where Obelix falls in love with Panacea, then Asterix and Obelix go to rescue her fiancé Tragicomix, who has been conscripted into Caesar's army. It features a hilarious Egyptian tourist, Ptenisnet, who speaks in hieroglyphs, and constantly thinks he is checking into a holiday camp, while actually being drafted into Caesar's army. My sister Sarayu and I have spent many childhood summers roaring with Asterix. I would be laughing so hard, weeping, my sphincter in danger of giving way. Oh my. Chapeau, monsieur. You were immortal to begin with, by Toutatis!

Meenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival, National Award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist. Reach her at meenakshi.shedde@mid-day.com

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates