They want to pave paradise and put up a housing development. That's why a multinational team of slave construction workers are clearing the forest just outside the Gaulish town. Will the Gauls be fast enough to stop them and prevent Roman upstarts from moving in?
René Goscinny (1926 - 1977) was a French author, editor and humorist, who is best known for the comic book Asterix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris (considered the series' golden age).
With all the COVID news, I almost missed that Albert Uderzo, the artist of Asterix, passed away on March 24, 2020. I spent some time yesterday looking through my collection. In my opinion, the volumes beginning with Asterix bei den Briten through Das Geschenk Cäsars (in German translation) are the best. Goscinny, whose writing was never funnier, and Uderzo, whose artistry matched every written joke, were in their prime. These volumes are as important to me as any book in my personal library.
And when considering that range of works, this one is close to being my favorite, both visually and by how the various subplots weave seamlessly together. Caesar can't conquer one small village in Gaul, so this time he decides to build a luxury apartment building near it, knowing that the Gauls will never attack civilians. In turn, the presence of the new neighbors will weaken the defenses of the village...or at least he thinks so. The story of picking a site, dealing with the desire for freedom for the slaves who have to build it, the underhanded way people are recruited to live there, and then the effects of commerce and mercantilism on the villagers all build to a hilarious conclusion. The real star of this volume is Uderzo. Virtually every frame bursts with humor and color and fits the dialogue like a glove. If you're familiar with the world of Asterix, this is as good a time as any to renew your love and appreciation of Goscinny and Uderzo. What else you gonna do the next few weeks or months?
Caesar has a plan to defeat the rebel Gaulish village once and for all - if they won’t fall in line, he’ll build Roman civilization around them and force their culture upon them! His brilliant young architect Squareonthehypotenus will build... The Mansions of the Gods!
I always liked Mansions of the Gods but re-reading it today I didn’t realise how damn funny it is! The characters’ reactions are very extreme which helps. The centurion tasked with helping the architect is superstitious and terrified of the Gauls so he demands the slaves only work at night - except all of them sing LOUDLY while they work. He becomes a nervous wreck as one group of slaves bursts into their nation’s music after the other and he’s so scared the Gauls will be woken up and punch him!
Getafix has magic acorns for re-growing the trees the slaves uproot in the night (poor Dogmatix - he loves trees and hates seeing them uprooted!) so night after night the Romans work and the next night discover the trees have regrown. The architect slowly becomes a nervous wreck and it’s glorious! And later on in the book, Cacofonix, the village bard… oh, big belly laugh on his scene!
There’s some subtext I didn’t notice when reading this as a kid: Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo appear to be criticising trade unions as they’re portrayed here as greedy and encouraging laziness in workers. The influx of Roman tenants nearby turns the Gaulish village into a gaudy tourist trap, the creators criticising modern tourism and what it does to beautiful rural communities.
There are A LOT of racist caricatures here so heads up for that. It’s a comic from 1971 and it’s so good - well written, wonderfully drawn, and so, so funny and clever - but, yeah, it’s kinda racist and that’s a shame. I don’t think the creators meant it in any hateful way and black people aren’t portrayed any more negatively than other slaves but there’s no escaping those red, red lips. Le sigh.
The Mansions of the Gods is another great Asterix comic that reads just as well - maybe better? - to grown-up audiences as it does to kids. It’s a good laugh and an excellent comic. If, like me, it’s been a while since you read these books, they’re well worth a re-read. New readers are in for a treat!
Εύκολα από τα καλύτερα Αστερίξ της σειράς, άψογο δείγμα του πως προσάρμοζε ο Γκοσινί την μοντέρνα πραγματικότητα στο γαλατικό χωριό, τίγκα στο χιούμορ και τις ατάκες. Και το animation που βασίστηκε σε αυτό εξίσου εξαιρετικό.
Seit Jahren versucht der große Imperator Julius Cäsar, das letzte unbeugsame gallische Dorf niederzuschlagen. Nun hat er eine neue Idee: er möchte eine römische Stadt rings um das Dorf bauen. Irgendwann, so seine Theorie, wird diese neue moderne Stadt, der zivilisatorische römische Gipfel, das Barbarendorf einfach schlucken. Super Idee!
Schon bald beginnen die Rodungsarbeiten rings um das gallische Dorf, dann kommt das erste Haus, dann ziehen die ersten Siedler ein. Doch mag Cäsars Idee auch gut sein, sind die Gallier bei Weitem nicht so hilflos, wie man sich das in Rom so ausmalt…
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Einer der ganz großen Asterixe! Hab ihn in meiner Kindheit hundertmal gelesen und auch jetzt hat er wieder große Freude gemacht.
Ich habe übrigens neulich erst ein Interview bei der Süddeutschen Zeitung mit Gudrun Penndorf gelesen, der Übersetzerin der deutschen Asterixausgaben. Sie hat über Jahrzehnte echt einen Wahnsinnsjob gemacht und erhält gefühlt kaum Credits dafür. Klar, die Geschichten stammen von Goscinny, aber diese ganzen superkultigen Sprechblasen (z.B. „Die spinnen, die Römer“) stammen von Penndorf. Ehrenfrau hoch zehn!
First published in French in 1971, as Le domaine des Dieux This album was first published in English in 1973. Julius Caesar comes up with a new plan to try and bring the little village, on the Armorican coast, that we know so well, to heel. He decides that the forest surrounding the village will be destroyed and replaced with blocks of flats, inhabited by well to do Romans. He commissions Rome's most talented young architect, Squareontheyhypotenus, for this task. A battle of wills ensues between the Gauls and Romans until wise old Druid Getafix comes up with a plan, which will teach the Romans a lesson, after making it, seem like they have got what they wanted. Asterix and Obelix get up to some really fun tricks again, and as in `Asterix and The Normans'; Cacofonix the Bard is instrumental in saving the day. Once more we are treated to an amusing satire on both Ancient Gaul and Europe at the time the book was written. As the Romans bring in a multi-national force of slaves to cut down the forest and build the flats, we get to meet Iberians (Spaniards), Lusitanians (Portuguese), Numidians (North Africans) , Belgians and Goths (Germans). An essential part of your Asterix collection!
What does God do when He has nothing to do , besides trying to imitate Hana Rāwhiti's famous " haka ", and He's home alone, lonelier than Macaulay Culkin ? Of course, a God DIY Human Project. The question is - how many God DIY Human Projects can fit into a celestial dustbin ?
Caesar speaks in the third person. The Gothic slaves insist on singing Silent Night (the German carol). The slaves and the Roman legionaries form Trade Unions. Romans are given a two-page promotional brochure/slab about the Mansions of the Gods with modern estate-agent jargon. A Vestal-Virgin is a hostess on the raffle to pick the new estate's first residents. Cacofonix again saves the day with his extraordinary talent. His song "On the First Day of Solstice" earlier version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas", the Christmas carol. He gets rewarded Cacofonix is duly awarded a place at the feast. The family of birds re-appear and (and Dogmatix)laments about cutting down trees.
Here's the puzzle: The freed slaves are revealed as pirates! I don't get it. Other than that, this is one of the best!
Vuonna 1971 ilmestyneessä Asterix-sarjakuvassa irvistellään muun muassa modernille rakentamisvimmalle ja ammattiliitoille. Monet pitävät tätä yhtenä sarjan parhaista albumeista, mutta enpä nyt tiedä.
Ceasar never seems to run out of ideas to conquer the last Gaulish village not yet conquered by the Romans. This time, his idea is actually incredibly smart. He plans to civilize the village with the Mansions of the Gods: instead of a forest, there shall be a Roman settlement surrounding the village. The architect in charge is the young and talented Squareonthehypotenus.
Trouble starts as soon as the architect begins his project in Gaul. Neither Asterix nor Obelix like the thought of Romans hanging out in their forest. As soon as Squareonthehypotenus touches the first tree, though, it’s Dogmatix who can’t restraint himself anymore – never hurt a tree while this little brave dog is watching, or you’ll be in trouble.
After some days fooling the Romans, Getafix decides that Squareonthehypotenus shall finish the first building. The building is inhabited by Romans, and they love visiting the Gaulish village and buy all kinds of stuff there. Instead of disliking that, the Gauls enjoy their Roman visitors and want to please them. Furthermore, the once peaceful village starts to change entirely. Getafix has not foreseen that, and Ceasar’s plan seems to work…
Die "Domäne der Götter", so der französische Originaltitel, soll sowohl als Prestigeobjekt Cäsars als auch zur endgültigen Vernichtung seiner Feinde, das heißt unseres kleinen gallischen Dorfs, dienen: Von einem ehrgeizigen Architekten entworfen, stolpert das Projekt bald über die bekannte Sturheit und Cleverness der unbezwingbaren Gallier, sowie über die Unwägbarkeiten des Kapitalismus...
Sehr schön, wie Goscinny und Uderzo in diesem Band den Marktkapitalismus und Expansionswahn auf die Schippe nehmen - im Gegensatz zu einem Vorrezensenten stört mich der Gegenwartsbezug nicht wirklich, das war meines Erachtens bei Asterix schon immer so. Die streikenden Legionäre, die shoppenden Römerfrauen und vor allem das Highlight, der doppelseitige "Flyer" zur Bewerbung des neuen Instant-Luxusdorfs auf Granit gemeißelt, sind einfach göttlich und in der gewohnt hohen Qualität der Reihe.
Ich möchte mich auch nicht über den Preis beschweren, denn man sollte mal schauen, was der Band erst in Rom kostet!
Capolavoro: dall’idea di Cesare di affogare i galli nel progresso (riducendo il villaggio a una bidonville ai margini di una grande e moderna città) agli interventi urbanistici nella grande foresta, dalla caratterizzazione degli schiavi (con la sottotrama che li riguarda) alle vicende della coppia romana che va a vivere nel residence costruito accanto al villaggio, si passa da una trovata geniale all’altra, tutte funzionali alla riuscita della storia. Le vette: il “non pieghevole” in marmo distribuito agli spettatori del Circo Massimo per illustrare i pregi del residence e il dramma degli alberi sradicati che vengono fatti ricrescere.
Having spent all this time in futility, trying to bring the small village of superpowered Gauls to heel, the undeterred Caesar has decided to change his approach. Instead of trying to best the Gauls in the battlefield, he now seeks to use an more economical approach.
To this purpose, he commissions the architect Squareonthehypotenus to build a new city around the village, clearing out the forest, encircling the Gauls and eventually starving them out. But one thing you should know, if you try to uproot the trees, you make Dogmatix cry, and you don't want to make our cute mascot cry.
So, how will our beloved Gauls deal with this problem which cannot be simply punched away? Watch on this episode of As-Te-Rix!
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I enjoy Asterix stories, where the magic potion is not the all-powerful McGuffin which can turn the tides of battle, and solve everyone's problems. This time around, the potion is more of a tool, aiding in the masterplan, as the duo, along with Dogmatix and Getafix, proceed to cultivate chaos among the Roman ranks, who are assigned to building Caesar's 'Mansion of the Gods'.
Using magical walnuts to turn the simple task of clearing a forest in a Sisyphean one. Sharing some of the sweet sweet magical potion among the Roman slaves to incite revolt. Terrorizing Roman tenets who have come to live in the 'mansion of the Gods'. And finally, breaking all tenets of the Geneva convention, and making Cacophanix (& his singing) your neighbor. It's seems it's not just me who considers the Bard's rating to be S rank for fear, and WMD in terms of explosive capabilities.
These are just some of the hijinks that the group has been up to. Much like best laid plans, Chaos once sowed, takes on a life of its own, and the Gauls soon find themselves entangled in the same tornado of events. But that exactly is what makes it all so fun!
A great story, surprisingly lacking in puns, but nevertheless deserving a 5 out of 5
No me gustó que cortaran mucho los árboles, porque querían destruir el bosque de la Galia, y eso hizo que se fueran los jabalíes. Construyeron un edificio donde los romanos podían entrar, y Asuranceturix entró. Dos romanas entraron a la aldea y empezaron a pedir pescado, porque en Roma lo vendían a 5 sestercios y en la aldea era solo a un sestercio. Y muchachas y hombres empezaron a venir a la aldea. En el mismo día Asterix fue a comprar un pescado, porque cada vez hay menos jabalíes en el bosque, entonces en el mismo día, Asterix fue a visitar a Ordenalfabetix y le dijo: "dame este pescado", y él le dijo que eran a cuatro sestercios, y Asterix dijo: "A cuatro sestercios el pescado?", a lo que Ordenalfabetix contestó: "Asterix, el precio sube". Asterix dijo "bueno, bueno", y le dio 4 monedas, y después Esautomatix le dijo algo, y lo lanzó para arriba. Y luego Asterix le dijo a Panoramix que le parecía muy raro que las personas de la Galia estuvieran actuando así, y que había cambiado mucho la aldea, porque había pescaderías y antigüedades, y más pescaderías y más antigüedades.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
8/10 Very well-plotted story, one of the best Asterix that I have read. However, paradoxically, the nice plot is somehow more a minus than a plus for me, when it comes to Asterix. Because the more sophisticated plots are, the more pages are used to set the overall plot rather than for pure gag entertainment. Whereas the thinner Goscinny's plots are, the more the man can spend pages over pages to stage jokes. And in my view every page that Goscinny is not using to set up a gag is a loss for mankind. But this is my very personal preference. Overall, this is a well balanced Asterix volume, with both writer and artist at their pick, and rightfully considered one their best works.
A quick read indeed. Quite illuminating and intriguing especially when one reads this comic with the perspective of theories. The comic subtly poses a mind boggling question as what is the true meaning of 'civilisation'. The struggle of the people who live in close proximity of the forest lands to protect the grounds from the Roman invasions, and thereby retaining the nature as it is, everything boils down to how one perceives as 'progress'.
Definitely a more roman based storyline but I liked that - get to see the story from their side. I feel kinda bad for the young Roman architect - he’s just tryna do this job but that’s what u get for F*cking with nature ig.
I also found the theme of tourism and how it can negatively impact a community quite interestingly explored.
And the fact that they use Assurancetourix’s poor music skills as a weapon to drive the Roman tourists away was quite funny.