I’d never read one of Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo’s famed Asterix books before, and figured it well past time to correct that oversight. I knew that Asterix is a famed children’s adventure series, but that’s really about all I knew going in, so I had a little hesitation, but plenty of anticipation as well.
In Asterix and the Great Divide, Asterix and his allies find themselves aiding a neighboring village that is split by two men’s claims of leadship – literally split. They’ve dug a trench through the middle of town! Schizophrenix, the only townsperson to not choose a side in the great debate, has the barrier slicing directly through the middle of his home, which adds some light slapstick when he need to cross to the kitchen or bedroom.
As the names may suggest, Asterix and the Great Divide is heavy on the silly puns, and it’s definitely a book for kids. The humor leans toward the silly, the villains are comically inept, and the art bright and clean. But it’s a very sharp book for kids. The heroes win through a combination of innate virtuosity and creative problem solving. Artistically, Uderzo’s fun designs, bright colors and slapstick pacing suit the story nicely, keeping things just as lively and upbeat during the talking sequences as during the battles.
Asterix and the Great Divide is a lark – a fun, fast-moving, twist-filled adventure. For this reader, it skews a little younger than my tastes, but I enjoyed visiting the land of Gauls and expect that I’ll be purchasing the whole series when I have children of my own. Asterix is sharp comics, and I’m glad I was able to discover it at my local library.
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:19 am
The Great Divide is one of those later Asterix volumes which were drawn and written by Uderzo alone after Goscinny´s death (even though both names still appear above the titles).
As such, it is considered by many fans to be not as good as the earlier works, which were really written by Goscinny and which tend to be waaaaaaay sharper (Goscinny was one of the greatest comics authors of the 20th century. Uderzo is not) and exhibit less of the silliness displayed in The Gread Divide (especially the final battle with the Romans).
So, if you get the chance, you might want to check out some of the earlier volumes if you get the chance – they´re better, funnier, and a little less silly.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:01 am
This one was done by Uderzo alone. Goscinny had passed away by then. Any books where Goscinny was involved in the writing is far more superior ( the first 24 books of the series).
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:25 am
My sister-in-law bought me a couple Asterix books a few years back for Christmas (because they were comics and I MUST read all comic genres). Someday I need to break them out and read them.
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:23 am
Is Asterix the best-selling comics series ever?
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:34 am
I always find it hard to imagine, when thinking about the United States, that it’s a place that does not have a spinner rack of Asterix and Tintin volumes in every library, school library, and bookstore. Imagine growing up without that!
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hello,
Maybe it’s a strange thing for you, but here in France “Asterix” by readers from seven years to 77 and more.
The best titles are the twenty first comics.
In France one reason of their succes is the fact it’s a self-mockery of France and French(wo)men. These comics have many level of reading.
But we haven’t many others comics! “Comics” (Bande dessinée) exist in France since the 19e century!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Belgian_comics
August 28th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Asterix books are not children´s books! And the art: it beats any american (or french) comic there is, period. But unlike those american comics, Asterix are funny (ok, sometimes silly) and make parodies of todays world and have charisma. Not like Batman and Spiderman which aren´t funny, have stories that only 13-year-olds will like and are pretty much anonymus (you get a differnt artist every couple of months)… and worst of all: no charisma whatsoever. I bet, you´ve gotten your hands on a Batman comic you wouldn´t have read it. Even as a grown-up, Asterix gives you when you read it more than the feeling “I just read a comic”…