Asterix and the Soothsayer

Asterix and the Soothsayer

Presentation

Written by: Goscinny

Drawings by: Uderzo
Original title: Le Devin
Published by: Hachette Livre

First published by: Pilote no. 652 (04/05/1972)
First album edition: 1972

This album together with Asterix and the Cauldron inspired the first live-action Asterix film: Asterix and Obelix take on Caesar.

One dark and stormy night, a sinister figure arrives in the little Gaulish villafe. Prolix, who claims to be a soothsayer, prophesies that when the storm is over the weather will improve. And it does!

 

Now the credulous villagers believe every word he says, but Asterix has his suspicions of the smooth-talking Prolix. Who is really right about the soothsayer?

What the druids have to say about the album

Sales in France for this album are always slightly lower than for the others. The only plausible explanation is that the disturbing cover may put people off. And yet it’s a sheer delight to laugh about the gullibility of our dear Gauls. Any resemblance…

 

While the talents of Prolix the soothsayer have yet to be proved, predictions about the future (more or less intentional) abound. For instance, in the last panel on page 10 we can see our Gauls arranged in the same way as in a Rembrandt painting that would not come into being until much later. Further on, on page 37, the whole village poses, well before the camera was ever invented. And we also come across Albert Uderzo’s country house, which didn’t exist at the time, even if the menhirs offered by admirers ever since might have led one to believe so.

Various versions of the album

Le Devin

Français – Éditions Hachette

Le Devin

Français – Éditions Hachette – La Grande Collection

Der Seher

Allemand – Egmont Comic Collection

Der Seher

Allemand – Egmont Comic Collection – Die Utimative Édition

El Adivino

Espagnol – Salvat

El Adivino

Espagnol – Salvat La colección

L’Endevi

Catalan – Salvat

O Adivinho

Portugais – ASA

O Adivinho

Portugais – A colecção – Salvat

Asterix and the Soothsayer

Anglais – Orion

Asterix a’r Argoel Fawr

Gallois – Dalen

De ziener

Néerlandais – Éditions Hachette

Asterix ja Ennustaja

Finnois – Egmont Kustannus OY AB

Asterix e l’indovino

Italien – Panini Comics

Profeten

Danois – Egmont A/S

Asterix och spåmannen

Suédois – Egmont AB

Asteriks Kâhin

Turc – Remzi Kitabevi

O Adivinho

Brésilien (Portugais) – Record

Wrózbita

Polonais – Egmont Sp

Lo Dévinèr

Créole réunionnais – Caraïbéditions

Da woasoga

Mundart 17 – Wieneriesch II

De Zottelbock

Mundart 50 – Hessisch V

De Zukunftsgugger

Mundart 59 – Hunsrigger Platt II

The bookseller’s corner

Classic paperback collection

N° ISBN : 978-0-75286-642-0
Format : 287 x 216 mm
Pages : 48

Hardback edition

N° ISBN : 978-0-75286-641-3
Format : 287 x 216 mm
Pages : 48