Review: Asterix and the Actress

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Asterix and the Actress Asterix and the Actress by Albert Uderzo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's a very happy birthday to Asterix & Obelisk, our dynamic duo have apparently been joined at the hip, being born on the same day. The whole village have come together to celebrate this joyous. (Not that the Gauls need any special reason to hold a banquet).

We have some surprise guests for the birthday boys. Asterix's mother Sarsaparilla & Obelix's mother Vanilla have come to visit them. With their fathers Astronomix & Obeliscoidix on the way. They've come bearing gifts. A jeweled golden roman sword for Asterix & a Gold gelded roman helmet for Obelix.

Alas, amidst all celebrities, trouble brews. The presents that their mothers brought for them, belong to the Roman General Pompeii who had arrived to raise an army to usurp Caesar. Hence Pompeii and his forces are scrambling to find the very distinctive items, before its presence alert Caesar to their machinations. Learning where the items are presently, they lock up the fathers, and arrange for an actress to play the role of Panacea, seduce the boys and steal the items back.

All while the mothers are hell bent of having their boys meet woman of marriable age, with the prospect of marriage. Something which the duo seem to vehemently be against.
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The story this time around, introduces some new characters, and brings back the patented Roman absurdity and hilarity. It is straightforward, and still lacking that secret sauce, that biting satire of Goscinny.

But a good read, giving it a tentative 4 out of 5, while being seriously miffed that my man Cacophanix barely gets to do anything nowadays.

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