Volume 41 takes Asterix to Portugal - as the publisher has already revealed
"Asterix in Lusitania" is the title of the 41st volume in the Asterix series. It is the 25th time that the Gauls are travelling. The new comic will be published in autumn.
So this time Asterix and Obelix are travelling to Portugal. The publishing house behind the Asterix series is releasing information about the 41st volume. Actually, that's all the news: it will be called "Asterix in Lusitania".
And the media release reveals a little more. Author Fabcaro wanted "an album with lots of light and sun, with a Mediterranean climate and a bit of a holiday atmosphere." He had experienced on holiday there that the Portuguese are very warm. How this warmth translates into the story remains to be seen in the autumn. Because Fabcaro is only revealing one sentence about the plot:
A former Lusitanian slave, whom we already know from <em>The Trabant City</em>, asks the Gauls for help.
The Header image for the new volume should delight those who appreciate the art of azulejos, the colourful Portuguese tiles. Asterix and Obelix are standing on such an artistically designed floor. Illustrator Didier Conrad also wanted to "honour the virtuosos of the paving trade".
Other than that, the announcement for volume 41 is rather generic: "Fans can look forward to new rivals, big challenges and lots of fun."
Okay.
The fact that the Gauls will be travelling far away for their next adventure is consistent with the logic of the past decades. An adventure in the village or the local area has always been followed by a trip to faraway places. Having last had to search for the griffin in Siberia, this time the destination is Europe's south-west. Austria or the Netherlands will have to be patient.
Once a Roman province, now Portugal
The Lusitanian people lived in what is now Portugal in Roman times. They were first mentioned in 218 BC. For over 200 years, history records various battles between the Roman occupiers and the Lusitanians. The Romans were ultimately victorious and also occupied this part of the Iberian Peninsula. The imperial province of Lusitania had similar borders to modern-day Portugal. In the north, it extended up to the Douro River, and also included parts of western Spain, in particular Extremadura and the present-day province of Salamanca.
Author Fabcaro has not yet revealed anything about the plot. He only says this much: "I like many of the travelling adventures. I love Asterix as a Legionnaire, for example, because of the spirit of camaraderie and the many hilarious characters. It's like a road trip with a motley crew, each with their own endearing quirks." Well, let's see what allusions there are this time. Personally, I would wager that Ronaldo, Portugal's most famous footballer, will feature. And also that bacalhau, or dried cod, will be eaten.
Header image: Egmont Ehapa Media GmbH
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Martin Jungfer
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Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
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