Asterix and the Picts: Album #35 Author: Jean-Yves Ferri | Language: English | ISBN:
1444011677 | Format: EPUB
Asterix and the Picts: Album #35 Description
Review
Just about every aspect of Caledonian life is gently lampooned - Nessie, whisky, kilts, caber tossing - in this loving continuation of the series, which cleaves so faithfully to the template that you would hardly know it was the work of others. FINANCIAL TIMES 20131207 Appealing to all age groups, the latest Asterix comic book is a return to form as Albert Uderzo hands over the reins of the million-selling series to a new creative team. This 35th volume sees the French warriors transplanted to the Scottish Highlands, having taken on the task of escorting a lost Pictish warrior, MacAroon, back to his homeland. Pirates, the Loch Ness Monster and caber-tossing all feature along the way in a book to introduce the Gauls and their jokes - and Anthea Bell's superb translations - to yet another generation. GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S BOOKS 20131207 If there's anyone who can simply transcend age altogether it's my first choice, the little Gaulish warrior called Asterix. I've been reading him for three decades, and every new appearance is a pleasure. This latest album comes to us from a new writer-illustrator team (the first time he's been written by anyone other than Goscinny and Uderzo), and despite the burden of expectations they don't disappoint. Asterix and the Picts sends Asterix and Obelix away from their familiar village to travel to Scotland, where they meet Nessie, Obelix tries his hand at tossing a caber, and they fight some Romans, before returning to Gaul for their traditional end-of-adventure banquet with all their - our - old friends. It's a delight. And while the creative team in France has changed, we can be grateful that the English version remains in the incomparably skilled hands of Anthea Bell, who's translated the books with wit and energy since the very beginning. -- Daniel Hahn THE INDEPENDENT 20131215 There are simple pleasures here for long-time fans and new recruits. The handover from Uderzo to the new duo shows few obvious joins. We are back with the characters we got to know and cherish. And, as a writer, the good news for me is that the Picts apparently respect their bards more than the Gauls do. It must be so - Asterix himself says it on page 29, by Toutatis! -- Ian Rankin THE GUARDIAN 20131121
About the Author
Illustrator Didier Conrad was born in Marseille, France. He moved to America to work for Disney and Dreamworks, and he designed the characters and storyboard for the 2000 animated film, The Road to El Dorado.
Jean-Yves Ferri lives in the Ariège area of southwestern France. Before writing the 35th Asterix album, he worked on the famous series Le Retour à la Terre, as well as the adventures of a police officer named Aimé Lacapelle.
- Series: Asterix
- Hardcover: 48 pages
- Publisher: Orion (December 17, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1444011677
- ISBN-13: 978-1444011678
- Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.9 x 0.3 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
I got this album as a Christmas-present from American friends, who know I love the Asterix series. As a lifelong Asterix fan, I was wondering how the English version would hold up, compared to the Dutch translations I'm used to.
The good news is, this one is a step up from the previous two albums. But then again, nothing could be worse than the atrocious "Asterix And The Falling Sky" (I mean, come on, Asterix and aliens??). So I was wondering what would happen now that Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad have taken over and if they would be able to breathe life back in to the series.
The art by Didier Conrad: while not on a par with Uderzo, it is a reasonably close approximation. At least the characters were perfectly realized and true to Uderzo's original style. Some panels had me thinking: this is probably how Uderzo would have done the layout. But as Uderzo was involved in the production, I don't know whose idea this was. Though there is room for growth, this is a reasonable good first attempt so I give the art four stars.
The scenario by Jean-Yves Ferri: the first couple of pages aren't too bad and a nice set-up for the story to follow. But then, it starts heading downhill. The overall story-line was muddled and didn't really get off the ground. The census taker seemed redundant to me (lost comic opportunity here) while lots of opportunities to poke fun at the Scots were passed over while some of the jokes that were made, fell flat. So, overall, I give the scenario two stars.
The translation by Anthea Bell: in the Dutch edition of this album, the translation seemed rather bland. My French isn't good enough to read Asterix in the original language, so I was wondering if the English version would be any better.
Asterix and the Picts: Album #35 Preview
Link
Please Wait...