Asterix & Obelix's Birth Day (The Golden Book)

In my childhood days most of the parents would never buy toys, rather buy books and sometime puzzles. Books were considered as a high-esteemed, lovable gifts for any social occasions like Birthday, Wedding, Thread Ceremony... even as Puja gifts. I did not grow up as a hardcore comic book fan, but I was in deep love with IJC, Tintin and later Asterix comic stories since my childhood days.

For 50 years the Asterix comic strips have provoked readers belly-laughs with its satire and slapstick, while weaving in thoughtful commentary on history, politics, and culture. In spite of the contemporary nods, most Asterix books run to timeless formulas. One standard plot is that the Romans have come up with some ingenious plan to destroy the village, whether it’s by corrupting the Gauls or starving them of magic potion. 

Asterix Book# 34 (2009)

Fifty years on from Asterix’s debut in Pilote magazine, this 34th Asterix album was released as part of the jubilee celebrations. But this was more of a homage to the beloved characters, and the fantastic series. Twelve birthday-related ‘short stories’ show various villagers and guests proposing different ways to celebrate the birthday - everything from Cacofonix’s parodies of famous album covers, to Cleopatra forcing Caesar to provide a gift. 

It’s fun, but the Golden Book will make you smile rather than laugh out loud - the humor did not really match the layers and high standards of past years, or the continued vibrancy and brilliance of Uderzo’s illustrations. 

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The story may be a little weak, but this book was not drawn for the story. It is a great tribute to 50 years of Asterix. The humor is a little subtle in this book, but the illustrations in this book are outstanding.