Almost everyone knows Marvel’s Spider-Man or DC’s Superman from the US, but Europe has their own iconic comics and graphic novels too, including the likes of Denmark’s The Adventures Of Tin Tin and of course, the French comic Asterix. It has since spawned its own video games and animated adaptations over the years.

Albert Uderzo, the French comic book artist and co-creator of Asterix, has died at the age of 92. The news was announced by his family from French news agency AFP (via The Hollywood Reporter).

According to the late Uderzo’s son-in-law:

“He died in his sleep at his home in Neuilly from a heart attack unrelated to the coronavirus.

He had been very tired for several weeks.”

Asterix originally debuted in October 1959 in the French magazine Pilote, created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. Since then, the series then went on to surpass more than 380 million copies sold worldwide and translated into more than 100 international languages. The duo worked on Asterix until the death of Goscinny in 1977, before Uderzo took over the writing duties until as recent as 2009.

There’s even a French theme park based on the property called Parc Astérix locate in Plailly, France, which is the second biggest theme park in the country after Disneyland Paris. It has brought in 50 million visitors since officially opening in 1989.

This was the first-ever Asterix comic book I ever read as a kid.

The Asterix comic book series features the titular Asterix as its protagonist, a small but brave warrior in one of the only small towns in 50 B.C. era Gaul free from Roman occupation. They’re able to repel the invaders with the help of a magic potion that gives him super strength. However, the effects are temporary, so the threat still looms whenever the Romans attack.

Along with his chubby best friend Obelix and loyal dog Dogmatix, they go on adventures and try to put a stop to the Roman Empire. I grew up reading some of the comics, but they were pretty expensive.

I also played several video game adaptations, including 2001’s Asterix: Mega Madness on the PS1…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usZQvgsgHa4&w=560&h=315]

…and 2004’s Asterix & Obelix XXL for the PS2.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jydHoHbNBA&w=560&h=315]

If you grew up with Asterix like me, there’s even a new video game out there in the form of Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Crystal Menhir for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, developed by Microids.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOS3F29rIm8&w=560&h=315]