Favourite Asterix Book

[Tjm86]

With the recent, lamentable, passing of the other original creator and having a fair bit of time on my hands, I've been slowly rebuilding my collection and re-reading the series in order.  I have to say how incredibly well they have stood the test of time.  The artwork remains fresh and vibrant, the layouts a masterclass in visual narrative and the stories themselves have so much going for them.

I think to get into a debate over the 'best' Asterix book would not only be utterly futile but also do many of them a disservice.  There is so much to offer in each and every one of them, even the earlier ones as the creators find their feet.

'Favourite' though?  That is just as challenging but being completely subjective seems a much fairer way of thinking.  Is it the ludicrous rugby match of Asterix in Britain?  What about Cleopatra (she does have a lovely nose ...) or even Getafix's potion games whilst recovering from amnesia in the Big Fight?

I've only re-read the first 8 books so far and already I'm struggling to answer this question although Asterix in Britain is a strong contender for the Roman / British fight scenes in the fog ...  Would folks care to share theirs?

[Trooper McFad]

Not having re-read for many years but my all time favourite is "The Twelve Tasks" I know it's a a book of the film but I read the book way before the film and still preferred the book after watching the film.
The format is totally different to the rest of the books but the few illustrations are still fantastic in fact more so as they are larger with more details.

Now to start the re-read to see if it holds up

[Colin YNWA]

Are you aware of Pipeline Comics Asterix Agenda? Its a wonderful webportal with review of all the volumes and a lot more

https://www.pipelinecomics.com/tag/asterix-agenda/

Well worth reading as you go along. I read along with Augie's re-read and review a couple of years back and commented and scored all the volumes as we went, so I'm going to check back on that to double check my 'offical' answer to this question. You can make a case for any volume between Asterix the Legionary (volume 10) and Obelix and Co (volume 23) - so you have all the best stuff (in my mind) to come. I've always said Asterix and the Soothsayer BUT I think I scored other volumes higher on that re-read... I'm glad for the excuse to check back...

[Colin YNWA]

So just checked back and Asterix and the Soothsayer did win out with a mighty 14/10 (Asterix is sooo good it broken the scoring system I made for the re-read!), closely followed by Mansion of the Gods - 13/10 and then Asterix and the Roman Agent 12/10.

Meant to also say there's a thread with some thoughts on Asterix that kicks around these part and gets dusted off every now and then and is worth a look.

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=42648.0

I also seem to think there used to be a thread about which was better Asterix or Tintin, but all that really did was surface the fools, I say fools who even consider that a discussion and those blind to Asterix's clear superiority.

[broodblik]

My favorite one is Asterix and the Cauldron but both Asterix the Gladiator and Asterix and the Normans I will always be the closets too since this is the first ones I ever read and it was translated into my home langue (makes so much easier for a six-year old).

[Richard]

I loved Asterix as a kid, but I'm not sure I want to risk looking at it again and finding it's no longer funny as an adult. I'd rather preserve the fond memories and not become disillusioned.

[Colin YNWA]

I loved Asterix as a kid, but I'm not sure I want to risk looking at it again and finding it's no longer funny as an adult. I'd rather preserve the fond memories and not become disillusioned.

I mean each to their own and you'll find your own way but these are very good, funny comics in there own right. You will of course have a different view of them now but they are very, very good and your previous affection will hopefully just get a fresh perspective and nostaglia will be replaced by appreciation of quality?

[WhizzBang]

I read an interview with the original writer where he said that Asterix in Britain was his favourite. It was a long time since I read it but he said it was pretty easy to write as there was so much to draw on for laughing at, and he compared this with Asterix in Switzerland where x they ended up doing a lot of stuff about cheese.

[TordelBack]

Always Soothsayer for me, followed in no particular order by Cleopatra (I fancied that cartoon woman something rotten when I was 6 or 7), Britain and Switzerland.

[JOE SOAP]

Mansions of the Gods pour moi.

[Funt Solo]

Asterix in Switzerland.

It's given me a healthy disregard for the pomposity of fondue.

[von Boom]

Asterix the Gaul, Asterix in Britain and Asterix and the Soothsayer.

[Dandontdare]

Probably a heretical view on this thread, but I really wish I could like Asterix like you guys do. I can appreciate and respect it as an adult, but I have no affection for it and as a kid it left me cold. Even today, the sight of Asterix books in a comic shop viscerally takes me back to crappy school libraries where they were the only comics that were approved of by the teachers. Reading Action and 2000ad was precisely a reaction against stuff like Asterix ... TinTin also falls under this curse and is forever ruined for me.

[Funt Solo]

I never rated Tintin as a kid - I found it staid. Even the one with the rocket ship. But I appreciated Asterix when I was young (primary school) - it seemed irreverent especially in comparison to Tintin, or Rupert the Bear.

2000 AD washed away my Victor collection. And in the school library the most wonderful revelations were The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and The Colour of Magic (although I was also big into Asimov).

[JOE SOAP]

For me there's more of a direct line from Asterix to 2000AD; both existing in the same zone of influence as the old Signet novel sized MAD digests with yellowed pages I was reading at the same time — even though they were from the 60s and 70s the humour and style hadn't aged at all and were a mine of wider cultural references that stuck with me. All that was mixed-in with plenty of the usuals of IPC/DC Thompson humour comics.

Tintin I never took to as it just felt like the Blue Peter of comics, and I didn't like Blue Peter, ever. I can of course appreciate it now though — Tintin I mean. I'll never like Blue Peter.