To The Last Page

In an attempt to undermine relations in the indomitable Gaulish village, Caesar sends out an agent who has an uncanny ability to sow discord wherever he goes. In no time at all he has the combative inhabitants at each other’s throats. Classic Asterix tale, this makes good use of the colourful characters in the village, and even has a landmark battle where all four Roman camps join forces in battle against a village without magic potion, and practice their own form of “psychological warfare”. Even the pirates get in on the act. Marvellous.

One of the very best Asterix stories, all the way back from 1967, Asterix The Legionary is strong in every department – a purposeful story, superb drawings, marvellous secondary characters and - since the boys have joined the Roman Legion in their attempt to bring back the boyfriend of Panacea, who has been recruited – there are plenty of Romans to both bash and endless frustrate. The script and names are wittily translated, as ever, into English and there are good running jokes throughout – one at the expense of a hieroglyphic-speaking Egyptian unwittingly conscripted into the army believing the barracks is a hotel, the other around characters constantly breaking down into tears.  Needless to say, the journey gives the boys an opportunity to get reacquainted with their old friends the pirates on the way to Rome and again on the return journey.