Asterix and the Magic Carpet. ** [Written and illustrated by Albert Uderzo.**]

UK,slim Qrto HB,no dw/dj,as issued,illustrated 1st edn. [Originally and first published in 1987 by Les Editions Albert Uderzo.This listing is the first English language edn, 1988,translatd by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge.Written and illustrated by UDERZO alone,as Goscinny had died in November,1977.This is the 4th Asterix adventure after his death.] FINE. No owner inscrptn,no dw/dj,card boards as issued,and no price removal from rear board.Bright,crisp ,clean, sharp-cornered,glossy laminated,colour pictorial artwork by UDERZO,illustrated boards; with negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners and virtually scratch and indent free, and b/w cartoon illustrated endpapers with no hinge cracking.Top+fore-edges aged/toned; contents bright,tight and generally clean - no dog-ear creases to any pages' corner tips - some light,minimal,sporadic spotting/foxing towards pages' fore-edges.Written and illustrated by Albert Uderzo,with colour comic strip art. UK, slim Qrto HB,as issued,1st edn,5-48pp [paginated]; plus [unpaginated] title page,colour map verso of which has potted biographies of some of the characters [Asterix, Obelix, Getafix, Cacofonix, Getafix and Vitalstatistix] involved in the story.
Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional and even internally,is in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation,for a book of its 35+ year-old age [and nature, i.e. a children's book.It is only the minimal faults described that prevents a slightly higher grading.Despite that,it really is still an exceptional, exemplary example for its cleanliness and lack of detracting faults. The year is 50 B.C. Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans.Well,not entirely. . .
One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the invaders.And life is not easy for the Roman legionaries who garrison the fortified camps of Totorum,Aquarium,Laudanum and Compendium . . . .
The series follows the exploits of a village of 'indomitable Gauls' as they resist Roman occupation. They do so by means of a magic potion,brewed by their Druid,Getafix, which gives the recipient superhuman strength.The protagonist,the titular character Asterix,along with his friend Obelix have various adventures. Following the rebuilding of the Gaulish village after Brutus' attack in the previous story,Chief Vitalstatistix is trying to give a speech, when he is interrupted by the bard Cacofonix, whose song causes it to rain. This introduces Watziznehm the fakir, who falls from his magic flying carpet. Watziznehm explains he was searching for the village because he needs to make it rain in his country, a kingdom in the Ganges Valley, within the following 1001 hours,otherwise Princess Orinjade, daughter of Rajah Wotzit, will be sacrificed to the gods.This prophecy is part of an evil scheme by the Grand Vizier Hoodunnit,to seize the throne. . . . The 'ix' suffix of the names echoes the name of Vercingetorix,a historical Gaul chieftain,the other names are spelling puns.In many cases,the stories have them travel to various countries around the world, though other books are set in and around their village. This title is No. 30 of the series and although written and illustrated by Albert Uderzo alone, Rene Goscinny is still credited,though he had died in November 1977.
Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo were a French writer/artist team.Born 1925 and 1927 respectively,the two men have - together or separately - worked on many comic strips,but are best known for their series of books featuring the 'indomitable Gaul' Asterix.He made his first appearance in the French magazine, 'Pilote',in 1959,and has since featured in well over two dozen books.Goscinny also created the characters Lucky Luke,Ompa-pa,Iznogoud and Nicholas,albeit in collaboration with other artists.He died in 1977.After the death of Goscinny,Uderzo continued the series by himself (1980-2005), writing 8 of his own stories on subjects such as feminism and aliens,with travels to India and Atlantis.
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