Asterix and the Great Crossing

Asterix and the Great Crossing

Industry	Comics
Founded	1975
Founder	René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
Products	Comic book

Asterix and the Great Crossing represents the twenty-second installment in the Asterix comic series, crafted by writer René Goscinny and illustrator Albert Uderzo.

Plot summary

When Unhygienix runs short of fresh fish, a crucial ingredient for Getafix's magic potion, Asterix and Obelix take a boat lent by Geriatrix to go fishing. After encountering a storm, they lose their way and instead of reaching the world's boundary, they arrive on an island reminiscent of Manhattan Island. This place is inhabited by birds (referred to as "gobblers" or turkeys), bears, and "Romans" with painted faces—actually Native Americans.

The Gauls earn the trust of these "Romans," but depart once Obelix is selected as a suitor for a local chief’s daughter. They then relocate to a smaller isle, likely inspired by Liberty Island, where Asterix signals a passing vessel by holding a torch and book similar to the Statue of Liberty. The ship is crewed by anachronistic Norsemen, who assume the Gauls are indigenous inhabitants of this newfound land. The Vikings decide to bring them back home as evidence of territories beyond Europe.

Back in the Viking homeland, chief Ødiuscomparissen doubts their story until meeting the Gauls himself. A celebration planned in their honor turns sour when the Vikings attempt to sacrifice the "natives." A Gaul prisoner named Catastrofix, fluent in both languages, reveals Herendethelessen’s deceit, igniting conflict among the Vikings. Amidst the turmoil, the Gauls escape with Catastrofix’s help, who assists in securing fish for Getafix’s potion. Meanwhile, Unhygienix remains devoted to his own fish stock, emphasizing its exceptional quality.

Commentary

• Upon discovering a turkey, Asterix and Obelix decide to eat it. While Asterix remarks on its pleasant flavor, Obelix suggests preparing it stuffed, alluding to both Thanksgiving customs and France’s tradition of chestnut-stuffed Christmas turkey.
• On page 21, Asterix refers to the land as "a New World", nodding to America’s 16th-century moniker and the concept of the American Dream, while subtly warning about potential hazards.
• When Obelix fells attacking Native Americans, they imagine American symbols such as eagles, the Stars and Stripes, and an insignia resembling that of the United States Air Force.
• On page 29, Obelix jokes about avoiding cold dog meat, a playful reference to hot dogs.
• Asterix’s strategy to signal a Viking ship using a torch parallels the Statue of Liberty, itself a French gift; Obelix’s attachment to his personal "liberty" ties into this symbolism.
• The narrative acknowledges that Vikings reached America centuries before Columbus, around 1000 C.E., although this occurs long after Asterix’s own timeline.
• Viking Herendethelessen echoes Neil Armstrong’s famous "one small step" phrase upon arriving in America.
• The Native American scout’s use of physical gestures likely references traditional tribal sign language.
• The tribe consuming dog meat hints at certain indigenous culinary practices.
• In French on page 32, Obelix’s exclamation "yep!" pays homage to westerns and the Franco-Belgian comic series Lucky Luke, also created by René Goscinny. The English adaptation transforms this into "I've sure learnt a thing or two home on this range."
• On page 36, Vikings present beads to Asterix and Obelix, reminiscent of trade goods exchanged between European settlers and Native Americans during the 15th–17th centuries.
• The Vikings depicted here are specifically Danes, distinguishing them from earlier generalized Norse portrayals in Asterix and the Normans. This is emphasized through:
  • Allusions to Shakespeare’s Danish prince Hamlet, including lines like "Something is rotten in the state of ..." and Hamlet’s iconic skull soliloquy.
  • The Viking leader Ødiuscomparissen being compared to Denmark’s famous statue The Little Mermaid.
  • Herendethelessen owning a Great Dane dog breed.
  • Viking dialogue employing pseudo-Danish orthography by substituting O's with Ø's and A's with Å's.
  • In the Norwegian edition, Herendethelessen is renamed after explorer Leiv Eiriksson, linking the village setting with Iceland or Greenland.
• In English versions, a Viking character named Håråldwilssen humorously resembles British politician Harold Wilson.

Film adaptation

• The 1994 animated movie Asterix Conquers America, starring Craig Charles as Asterix and Howard Lew Lewis as Obelix, draws its story from this volume. Notable alterations include Getafix traveling with Asterix to America—following his capture by Romans—and the exclusion of Vikings from the storyline.

In other languages

• Catalan: La gran travessia
• Croatian: Onkraj oceana
• Czech: Asterix a Velká zámořská plavba
• Danish: Asterix opdager Amerika
• Dutch: De grote oversteek
• Estonian: Asterix ja suur mereretk
• Finnish: Asterix ja suuri merimatka
• Galician: A gran travesía
• German: Die große Überfahrt
• Greek: Το μεγάλο ταξίδι
• Hebrew: אסטריקס מגלה את אמריקה
• Icelandic: Ástríkur heppni
• Italian: Asterix in America
• Norwegian: Asterix oppdager Amerika
• Polish: Wielka przeprawa
• Portuguese: A grande Travessia
• Russian: Астерикс и Великое Плавание
• Serbian: Velika plovidba
• Spanish: La Gran Travesía
• Swedish: Resan över Atlanten
• Turkish: Büyük Yolculuk
• Ukrainian: Астерікс та Обелікс завойовують Америку

See also

• Asterix Conquers America
• Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact

External links

• Official English Website