Asterix Comics Trivia

Albert Uderzo did take over writing the Asterix series after René Goscinny's death in 1977. Goscinny was the writer and Uderzo the illustrator; after Goscinny died, Uderzo continued both writing and drawing the series solo.

The Asterix series is indeed one of the most popular Franco-Belgian comics globally. It has been translated into over 100 languages (not just 10) and is widely popular across Europe and beyond. The statement is essentially correct in its main claim.

Goscinny and Uderzo did create Oumpah-pah before Asterix, and it was published in Tintin magazine. This series was their first successful collaboration before launching the Asterix series in 1959.

Uderzo's early sketches did portray Asterix as a large, muscular Gaulish warrior. However, Goscinny suggested making him small and clever to create a more interesting contrast with Obelix, who became the strongman character. This was a key creative decision in character development.

Asterix and Obelix's Birthday: The Golden Book is NOT an adaptation of The Twelve Tasks of Asterix. They are separate works - The Golden Book (2009) was a special anniversary album, while The Twelve Tasks (1976) was an animated film. This is a common confusion but they are distinct works.

Derek Hockridge and Anthea Bell were indeed the primary English translators of the Asterix series for decades. They translated most of the albums from the 1960s until Bell's retirement. Their translations are noted for preserving the humor and puns in English.

The Asterix series does have 34 main comic stories. The first 24 were by both Goscinny and Uderzo (until Goscinny's death in 1977), and the subsequent 10 were by Uderzo alone. This count is accurate for the main albums in the original series.

When the ancient Gauls mentioned Lutetia, they were referring to what is now Paris, not Rennes. Lutetia was the Roman-era city that became modern Paris. Rennes was a different Gallic settlement. This is a geographical/historical fact.