Asterix leaves on Another Trip on October 28, 2025.
Remember… In our teasing panel, Asterix and Obelix were about to pack their bags for a new trip. Unlike their expedition to the distant snowy steppes of the Sarmatian lands (Asterix and the Griffin, 2021), the first indications were pointing towards a much sunnier clime.
There’s no room for any doubt: Asterix, Obelix (and Dogmatix!) are on calçada portuguesa*!
Therefore, it is in the extreme southwest of the Roman empire that we shall soon find our indomitable Gaulish friends, a land known for its wealth of historical monuments, its culinary delights, and above all, the generosity of its inhabitants!
PACK YOUR BAGS! WE’RE OFF TO LUSITANIA!
While waiting for the book’s release on October 28, 2025, the authors tell us a little more about their inspiration.
Fabcaro, why did you choose to take our indomitable Gauls to Lusitania?
First, of course, we needed to find a destination our friends had never visited. And, frankly speaking, the realm of possibilities is gradually decreasing, as our Gauls have started to travel a fair amount!
Plus I wanted a bright, sunny comic set in a Mediterranean country, to feel a bit like a vacation. So Lusitania (which corresponds to today’s Portugal) quickly came out on top. I’d already been there on vacation many times, and I’d loved it! The people there are very friendly.
How did you get prepare for this story?
We were lucky to be dealing with a real country that isn’t far from where we live, so we weren’t going to miss the opportunity to travel there. When we were creating the book, the publisher and I visited Portugal to soak up the sites, ambiance, local specialties, take notes, scout for locations, take photos, etc.…
What can you tell us about the plot?
Ah, well, all I can say is that a former Lusitanian slave we met in The Mansions of the Gods is going to ask our friends for help…
© C. Guibbaud
© C. Guibbaud
Didier, have you ever been to Portugal before? Were you immediately inspired by the destination?
I went to Portugal a few years ago and I really liked the country. I also got a great photo report from Fabrice Caro (also known as Fabcaro). That gave me valuable information, which I supplemented with online research. I love drawing travel stories. I enjoy reproducing scenic landscapes and references to the culture of the country that’s being visited—and there’s no shortage of that in Portugal!
Tell us about creating this picture. Why did you choose it?
Calçada portuguesa (Portuguese pavement) is an authentic artistic and cultural feature of Portugal. Fabrice and the publisher flooded me with photos of cobblestone roads and squares. It seemed clear that I should pay tribute to the magnificent work of the craftsmen who cut and placed each of these black and white paving stones by hand. Incidentally, it took me an enormous amount of time to reproduce the stones one by one. As for the pattern, I wanted to use the country’s iconic fish, the famous bacalhau (i.e. the famous cod).
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