Asterix and Cleopatra: Bk. 6 (Asterix (Orion Paperback))

'Asterix and Cleopatra' is the 6th of 31 adventures published between 1961and 2001; This adventure is from 1965, and it was the second adventure to be published in the UK (in 1969). This adventure is sumptuous. It has Caesar and Cleopatra; it has stunning Egyptian architecture; it has slave unrest; it has our heroes in peril, with even Obelix (who fell into the magic potion when he was a baby) being offered some extra magic potion to help them out of a tight spot. Following an argument with Julius Caesar, Cleopatra commissions architect Edifis to build a magnificent palace. Druid Getafix, aided by Asterix and Obelix, travel to Egypt to help. Rival architect Artifis seeks to foil the construction. This is a classic adventure which I would class in the top 5 Asterix adventures. Many jokes mimic the Elizabeth Taylor Hollywood movie 'Cleopatra'. Egyptian building (including the Sphinx) is made fun of, and our heroes face some mild peril helping the palace to be built in the face of considerable opposition. Egyptian speech is often shown as Egyptian hieroglyphics, with subtitles (very funny). This new re-inked and re-coloured edition has been criticised for an updated front cover. The 1969 edition has a cover making fun of the 'Cleopatra' movie poster: 'The Greatest story ever drawn'; a cover now out of style with other books and so I can understand the decision to slightly re-draw the cover. When Artifis reads the Daily Nile newspaper, you can marginally see two strip cartoons: Ptarzan and Pnuts. In my 1969 copy, the Pnuts cartoon clearly contains Charlie Brown. In the modern re-release, this is changed, perhaps for copyright reasons. This 'restored' book, together with the excellent story, make this one of the finest Asterix adventures to own and enjoy.

Definitely the funniest story ever drawn! (9/9 people found this helpful)

If you have a sense of humour, buy this book. You and everyone who knows that you have it will enjoy it time after time - provided you can get it back after you've lent it out!

It is one of the earliest (and hence, best) of Asterix's adventures. Every page has its share of visual jokes, the narrative twists and turns its way up and down the Nile and we are treated to the usual selection of Asterix stalwarts: the Pirates, the Roman Patrol with their dreadful string of puns and the banquet at the end of the journey.

We learn the solutions to the mysteries of Egyptian Heiroglyphs, the sadly truncated state of the Sphynx's nose and it is revealed how Gaulish labour relations and building techniques were adopted by the Egyptians - at least on one project!

A lot of work from Goscinny, Uderzo, Bell and Hockridge went into this book (see front cover) and it shows. If only the later books were as well thought out...

Other Asterix books you should definitely have are:- Asterix the Legionary (where we see the heiroglyphs again), Asterix in Britain, Asterix in Spain and Asterix the Gladiator. If this finds you wantng more then continue with the others written by Goscinny - all of them are good. Do not buy any written by Uderzo on his own; he draws well but his writing is not up to the same standard as the sadly missed René Goscinny. It is difficult to understand why he continued on his own instead of partnering up with someone more able.

One of the best of the Asterix series (1/2 people found this helpful)

This is an Asterix epic. It is highly entertaining, very educational and almost erotic (Cleopatra has *such* a pretty nose). Like all of the Asterix books it is fast paced and action packed. Beats Burton and Taylor hands down.

Asterix and Cleopatra: Bk. 6 (Asterix (Orion Paperback))

René Goscinny

Reader Reviews:

A classic Egyptian adventure for Asterix and Obelix (4/4 people found this helpful)

Definitely the funniest story ever drawn! (9/9 people found this helpful)

One of the best of the Asterix series (1/2 people found this helpful)

Similar Products

Categories