Asterix the Gladiator (Goscinny & Uderzo)

In the third volume of the series, the Romans capture Cacofonix, the unbearably awful Gaulish bard, as a present for Caeser. Cacofonix is to be put in the circus to be eaten by lions, and so Asterix and Obelix come to the rescue, infiltrating the circus as gladiators. This is a very jolly volume - I love the way our two heroes completely subvert the games, and Caeser's enraged red face looking down at them.

More Asterix comics

I'm continuing to read them in order. So, next up is Asterix and the Golden Sickle. This one starts out with Getafix breaking his golden sickle (which he uses to collect mistletoe) right before a druid's conference. Disaster! So Asterix and Obelix travel to Lutetia (present-day Paris, according to Wikipedia) to buy another one from Obelix's cousin, Metallurgix. There's some sickle-trafficking and shady business going on, but all comes well in the end, naturally. I enjoyed this one, although I still think they improve as the series goes on.

Asterix and the Goths is the third book in the series. Getafix heads to his druid's conference, accompanied by Asterix and Obelix for protection. They don't do a very good job, as Getafix is kidnapped by Goths planning to use his magic for their own means. Asterix and Obelix infiltrating the Gothic camp is extremely funny, as is the way in which Getafix plots to get them out of there. My favourite character in this is the poor prison guard who gets more and more furious the more times Obelix breaks down the door of the prison to ask for something. I think this has been my favourite of the first three volumes.

Asterix the Gaul (Goscinny & Uderzo)

I wrote here about my love for Asterix comics, and have decided since then to read my way back through all the books in order.

Asterix the Gaul is a masterpiece brimming with underlying layers that delve to the core of humanity itself...

OK, it's a comic about Gauls who drink a potion that gives them superhuman strength which they use to bash up Romans, and then they have a big feast at the end. But it's enormously funny and clever and brimming with puns and silly jokes. I remember Asterix the Gaul as being one of the weaker Asterix stories, given that it's the first one, but it does everything you want it to do - it sets up the idea of the one Gaulish village holding out against the Romans, introduces all the characters, and you get to see Asterix and Getafix laughing themselves silly after dosing some Romans with a hair-growing potion. Good stuff.