Asterix & Cleopatra

This is by far my favorite of all the Asterix and Obelix stories. Goscinny is truly in his prime here. It's all there: the frustrated, abused bard, the shipwrecked pirates and of course, the nose of Cleopatra (a nose whose beauty is unsurpassed). As an added bonus, we finally get to see how the Sphinx lost its nose (and where it was rather conspicuously buried). Just for that, this thing is worth it!

In this Egyptian adventure, Asterix travels to Egypt to help a hapless architect design and complete a massive palace that Cleopatra is building for Caesar. Of course, it is part of a bet, and the Romans want to stop it, as well as a rival architect with his own plans and goals. If you have ever wondered why the Sphinx has no nose, this is a must read. It is a fantastic story and one that remains as a favourite. One nice touch was the Egyptians speaking in hieroglyphics, which make for entertainment. I was interested in this small detail, among the usual laughs that Asterix and friends provide. Any fan of Asterix would love this story, and I recommend it without reservation.

I stumbled upon Asterix and Cleopatra in India in '91. Prior to this I had never heard of it. Asterix was never all that popular in the U.S. but it's odd that I had never heard a single thing about it. Anyway, it means many Americans are missing out on some great fun. Asterix is an stunningly well-drawn Belgian comic (check out the meticulous brush lines and level of detail in the backgrounds) that is clever, amusing and sometimes laugh out loud funny. Whatever it is, it's always fun, even if the jokes fall flat. Asterix and Cleopatra is arguable the best of the lot, at least of the ones I've read so far, which is quite a few. One thing I don't like is the way the American covers are printed. I mean it would be nice if they allotted more space for the artwork.

Great Album, funny, with wonderful art and it's instructive !... You can read all the Asterix by Goscinny and Uderzo, they are all perfect. By the way, it is rené Goscinny and not René De Goscinny. Thank you. I'm a french fan of Goscinny, and encourage you to read anything from him, it's always marvellous and smart.

This is by far the best French to English translation of Asterix. Plus, it is FUNNY. That part where Obelix tries to speak ancient Egyptian while interrogating the saboteur is hillarious. When I was growing up in the sixties, this book was THE book to have.