Asterix NZ - Mistakes - "Asterix and the Goths"

Mistakes: Asterix and the Goths

General
It was well established that Goth Band consisted of five people, including the leader.	However, when the Goths hide in the bush we see 5 eyes + the leader! Where did the extra member come from?

After General Cantankerus discovers that Asterix and Obelix are now disguised as Romans he sends out information announcing that fact. However, in the text book on the next page it says that "As soon as the romans know that the Goths..." Obviouly the Translators/Goscinny stuffed up.... or it could have been that Roman Messenger!

Peter has written in about this issue to say: "You wonder about the irate Roman general's orders. The original French reads : "Que l'on fasse savoir que les GOTHS sont déguisés en Romains et qu'on les capture!" I don't know whether you understand French, but, even if you can't, you can see for yourself (capital letters) that the text refers to GOTHS, and not to Gauls (GAULOIS). In other words, the mistake is the translator's, and not Goscinny's.

And you are right, of course : the translator's mistake doesn't make any sense, not only in relation to the other picture that you reproduce, but in the context of the whole story. Throughout this part of the story, the Romans are convinced that they are dealing with two GOTHS"

When Asterix, Obelix, Getafix and Rhetorix are first put in a cell the lock is vertical. However, when Getafix goes out to give the list of ingrediants for the "soup" the lock is horizontal.

Colouring
Asterix and the Goths is one of the worst Asterix books in how it has been coloured in. Colours change and swap around and things aren't coloured in. But when they are, its invariably done badly. Here are three examples:
When Getafix first sets out from the village his bag is white. When they are walking through the forest his bag is yellow. When they meet Valuaddetax his bag is initially green....	...Then the colours swap over!

Young Bobby spotted this one: "On page 13 panel 9, we see Asterix and Obelix waiting outside the forest of the Carnutes. Earlier on in the book, we see Asterix and Obelix with brown shoes. When we see them again on page 13 panel 9, their shoes have turned plain white; this stays this way until page 15 panel 1 when they change back to brown!"

Peter writes: "As you say, the colorization of this particular album leaves much to be desired. You give a very good example of that. Here is another one...Go to the episode where our two heroes make a quick job of ambushing a couple of Roman legionaries and borrowing their uniforms. As a result of their misadventure, the two men end up spending some quality time together, all trussed up and gagged and clad only in their unmentionables. Now, check the sequence of pictures for small legionary's underpants. Throughout the sequence they are polka dot boxers, but their color varies"

The first time we see them - with their proud owner still out cold - they're white boxers with dark - possibly dark purple - dots.	Then, when the two brave servicemen are discovered by army buddies who mistake them for Goths, his undershorts have turned to a forest green with black polka dots pattern!	Next the two dimwits decide to carry their prisoners on their backs, all the way to their camp... and, this time, Julius' boxers turn to white with black polka dots!!!	ONLY TO REVERT TO THE SOLID GREEN WITH BLACK POLKA DOTS PATTERN IN THE GENERAL'S TENT!
These mistakes have been fixed in the 2004 Revised Editions.

Historical Inaccuracies

Potatoes were introduced to europe in the 16th Century from South America. They can't possibly have been in Ancient Gaul at the time. This is a major faux pas of the authors as Potatoes have appeared in several other Asterix books too.

Bernard has this defence for the authors: "In The Goths, it's the Belgian druid who handles them because French people see the Belgians as a country of French fries eaters. It's a mere cultural reference, not an anachronism. Goscinny was particularly wary not to introduce historical anachronisms, but such elements are mere tongue in cheek references to the modern world. And every little Frecnh schoolboy has heard of a man named Parmentier who brought the potato back from South America in the 18th c. "

Note: Valluaddetax is Belgian in the French edition, but British in the English edition, so we english readers wouldn't get this reference.

Phil writes "The Goth battalion that Asterix and Obelix sneak into on page 27 is singing about Alaric, who lived in the late fourth and early fifth centuries A.D. However, the book takes place in 50 B.C. Alaric wouldn't be marching his ten thousand men up to the gates of Rome for another 460 years"

We see a wheelbarrow on page 43. Wheelbarrows hadn't been invented in 50BC!

If you know of any more mistakes in Asterix the and the Goths, please contact me.