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Background
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- English Title: Asterix
the Legionary
- French Title: Asterix
Legionnaire
- Asterix Book Number:
10
- First Published: 1967
- First Published in English:
1970
- Written by:
Rene Goscinny
- Illustrated by: Albert
Uderzo
- Translated By:
Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge
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The story is based in a specific historical time
setting - the battle at Tunisia which ends the Roman
Civil War and the First triumvirate. Interestingly,
it seems Caesar wouldn't have been able to do it without
the Gauls...
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Asterix and Obelix join a
platoon of Legionaries made up of recruits from
various nations, all of whom are gently parodied.
Of note is the Belgian recruit, who Uderzo uses
as a tribute to the comic book Tintin by having
the Belgian sport the same haircut as the other
popular hero.
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This book was later combined with Asterix the Gladiator
to make the Asterix
vs Caesar cartoon movie.
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The Original
Pilote Cover
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Panacea proved an extremely popular
character after the book's publication. The authors
even considered producing a sequel to Asterix the Legionary
where Panacea would return! Uderzo explains in one interview:
"This is another inexplicable phenomenon. We
brought in a pretty young girl so Obelix would fall
in love and give another dimension to the story with
her fiancee, you know how it is. The Panacea phenomenon
appeared just after this episode was published, and
everyone started talking about her, "Oh! Panacea
is extraordinary!" We tried to make a sequel to
the story, but we were prisoners, because she left for
Condatum to get married to her fiancee Tragicomix. We
couldn't separate the couple because the self-righteous
little world around us wouldn't have accepted that."
However, Pancea would return decades later in book 30
All at Sea and
31 Asterix and the Actress.
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Plot
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"Obelix is in love - but the beautiful
Panacea is engaged to Tragicomix, a conscript in the Roman
Army. Who'd have expected to see Asterix in a legionary's
uniform? When he and Obelix join up to rescue Tragicomix from
North Africa, Centurions Nefarious Purpus and Dubius Status
don't know what's hit them. But the Gauls and their fellow
recruits have a smashing trip abroad."
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Take
a look Inside
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You can view Images
from Asterix the Legionary here.
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Notable
Characters
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Panacea
- What it means: Panacea (A remedy for all
diseases)
- About: Daughter to Sopoforix, Panacea was
born in the Asterix village. However, when she returns after
two years of study in Condatum, hardly anybody recognises
her, after changing so much. But she certainly catches Obelix's
attention. Despite Obelix's best attempts at whooing her,
she has eyes only for her partner Tragicomix.
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Tragicomix
- What it means: Tragicomic -An incident or
situation having both comic and tragic elements
- About : Tragicomix met Panacea in Condatum
and they were soon engaged. Tragedy struck when Tragicomix
was forced to enlist in the Roman army and sent to Africa.
He is a strapping young lad and very handsome, despite what
Obelix might tell you..
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Centurions Nefarious Purpus
and Dubius Status
- What it means: Nefarious purpose: a fiendish
goal | Dubious status: Arousing doubt
- About: Centurions Nefarious Purpus starts
out so sure of himself, so confident - then he meets his
new platoon. Consisting of Asterix, Obelix and many foreigners.
They break all the rules and undermine his authority.
When Purpus becomes an emotional wreck, Dubius
Status steps in, and he too inevitably looses it. The two
Centurions are left to feebly walk behind their platoon
and follow their orders.
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Compare
the Painting!
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Uderzo has modelled the following image of the defeated
Pirates from Page 35 of Théodore Géricault's
famous painting "The Raft of the Medusa":
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