Asterix and Obelix's Birthday: The Golden Book is the thirty-fourth album of the Asterix comic book series, designed and written by Albert Uderzo. The book also includes Asterix stories which were created jointly with René Goscinny. The album, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the creation of the series, was released on 22 October 2009. The album begins with a preface where Uderzo replies to the critics of his solo work, especially for the previous album, Asterix and the Falling Sky. He also says The Golden Book is not a whole story, but a succession of short stories celebrating the 50th anniversary of the hero.
Synopsis
The story begins in the year 1 AD, when all the other books are set. The characters are introduced, but aged fifty years. Some craftsmen, tradesmen or Gallic warriors already have children or grandchildren. Uderzo appears in the strip and has a joke at the Gauls' expense, leading Obelix to hit him. Uderzo then decides that ageing the Gauls 50 years was not such a good idea. Back in 50 BC, in the same village in which the birthdays of Asterix and Obelix, which happen to be the same day, are celebrated. Asterix and Obelix receive letters from their friends. Obelix can't read Panacea's letter, so he gets an old alphabet book from Getafix. However, he is still unable to understand what the letter says, until Asterix helped him, and Obelix, in his anger, then threw the alphabet book to Getafix. Then Geriatrix, jealous of the two Gauls, criticises them and makes a rather negative description using a Magnetic resonance imaging picture. At a great feast, many recurring or important characters of the adventures of Asterix, from all nationalities, appear. Each one of them offers his gift to the hero They also made some proposals for the future. Finally, Cleopatra and Julius Caesar arrive. Caesar is reluctant to come to the birthday party when they were both invited. However, he yielded to the wishes of his lady, who reminded him of the protection Asterix and Obelix gave to Caesarion. nevertheless, Caesar, being a bad loser, decides to offer the Gauls a jar of wine laced with Ricin ahead of their arrival. However, Getafix manages to outsmart this move, as the centurions, to whom he had entrusted the mission, drank the wine supposedly as a toast to Caesar's health, giving them the runs.
