Asterix and the Chariot Race - a Comic Review

Asterix is one of the few series that I had already enjoyed before I could read, and which I still enjoy reading as an adult. When I was a child I mainly enjoyed Uderzo's sublime drawings, I read the albums nowadays because I find Goscinny's scripts, and especially the jokes, so brilliant. He makes sure that there are jokes for children and adults. As an adult you read a totally different comic than when your were a child.

Unfortunately, Goscinny died after 24 albums, now 40 years ago. Uderzo did his best to fill the void he left behind, but it would never be the same again. Uderzo reached an all-time low when he made 'The secret weapon' in which Asterix and Obelix deal with alien creatures. Uderzo wanted to bring a hommage to Disney, but unfortunately it resulted in a tedious and boring story. That the drawings still had the same level as before was little comfort. Disappointed, I decided to stop collecting Asterix comix

Uderzo made one another album with short stories after this debacle, but probably realized that he could better pass the baron on to others. It took four years before successors scenario writer Jean-Yves Ferry and draughtsman Didier Conrad came with a new Asterix adventure. I decided to give them a chance and was pleasantly surprised when I read 'Asterix and the Picts' and ‘Asterix and the missing scroll’. Ferry understood Goscinny’s writing very well. The originality of the stories, the writing style and the jokes approach that of Goscinny. Conrad is also a worthy successor to Uderzo. You must see the two draftsmen's side by side to discover the differences in style, that are hard to spot.

So my expectations for 'Asterix and the Chariot Race' were high. Too high probably because I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed in this new album. The big storyline is very much like that of 'Asterix and the Olympic Games'. Both are about Asterix and Obelix who compete in a contest and are opposed by Caesar and his accomplices. But this album is fun none the less because the connections between past and present, and the jokes, and the funny names. And Conrad's drawings are of course always a pleasure to see.

Although I find this album a little less than the previous two, I do not doubt that the 5 million copies will sell like hot cakes. I'm looking forward to the next Asterix adventure in any case, but it will undoubtedly take two years for it will be published.