Asterix and the Normans (1966)
Asterix and the Normans Review
Asterix and the Normans is the ninth volume of the Asterix comic strip series that was written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. It was published in 1966 and it is another classic entry in this series.
Normans arrive in Gaul with the intention of discovering the meaning of fear, but they stumble upon Gauls, who are just as fearless as the Normans themselves. This is another terrific story that is very humor-oriented, especially in the second half that was the highlight this time around. The Normans themselves were clearly portrayed as these ridiculously fearless, over-the-top Vikings and they were so much fun throughout.
But the standout character in this volume has to be Cacofonix. He is one of the most important supporting players in this series, but up until this point he’d never received a proactive role. Here, that changes. Cacofonix is the sole reason why the Normans got afraid and then left, which was hilarious in its silliness. The final banquet finally had the poor guy sit on the table with the rest of the tribe, which was well earned.
Justforkix is a much less interesting character, though even he got a couple of solid moments for himself. As for our main duo, they are amusing as always. Getafix got to shine in the final moments when he delivered a great message about bravery being achieved only after experiencing fear. The illustrations are also gorgeous here while the adventurous elements are wonderful. The dialogue and humor are top-notch. I just wish that the Normans got better development. They were solid as a group, but not so much individually.
