New Asterix and Obelix comic set in ancient Lusitania
Titled Asterix in Lusitania, the book - featuring numerous references to Portuguese history, culture, and national archetypes - is set for release in October 2025.
The upcoming Asterix and Obelix comic book will take the beloved characters to Lusitania, the ancient territory that is now Portugal, for the first time.
Titled Asterix in Lusitania, the book will be released in Portugal on October 23, according to French press reports.
With an estimated print run of five million copies, this will be the 41st volume in one of the world’s most famous and best-selling comic book series.
Originally created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, the series continues under Fabcaro (pen name of Fabrice Caro, responsible for the storyline) and Didier Conrad (illustration).
Details of the book
For the first time, the story—set during Roman times—will place the two fearless Gauls in ancient Lusitania, incorporating multiple references to Portuguese history, culture, and national archetypes, as Fabcaro revealed to RTL radio.
A provisional cover of the new album, titled Astérix en Lusitanie in French, shows the duo standing on a typical Portuguese pavement.
Portuguese publisher Asa, part of the LeYa publishing group, confirmed in a statement to Lusa News Agency that the book will be released in Portugal on the same day as the international edition.
The story will also include a character who originally appeared in the 1971 comic The Mansions of the Gods.
“All I can say is that an old Lusitanian slave we encountered in The Mansions of the Gods will return to seek our heroes’ help,” Fabcaro stated, adding that he wanted this adventure to be “a sunny, vibrant album set in a Mediterranean country that evokes the feeling of vacation.”
Inspired by Fabcaro’s detailed photo report on Portugal, illustrator Didier Conrad aimed to “pay tribute to the incredible craftsmanship” behind the Portuguese pavement, a key reference in the book.
According to Asa, the mosaic featured on the cover depicts an emblematic fish of Portugal—the famous codfish.
Back in December, Éditions Albert René, which holds the rights to the comic series, had already announced that in this new volume, Asterix and Obelix would leave their indomitable Gaulish village for another journey.
“I looked for a destination where our friends had never been before, but also a place I wanted to explore deeply while writing,” Fabcaro previously revealed.
Asterix: A Global Phenomenon
The Asterix universe was first introduced on October 29, 1959, in the French comic magazine Pilote, and the partnership between Goscinny and Uderzo lasted until Goscinny's passing in 1977.
Uderzo continued writing until 2009, when he sold the rights to Hachette, before passing away in 2020.
The first album, Asterix the Gaul (1961), introduced the small but clever mustachioed Gaul, whose best friend, Obelix, is known for his superhuman strength, love of wild boars, and menhir-carrying skills.
Together, they live in a defiant Gaulish village that resists Roman conquest thanks to a secret magic potion brewed by their druid, Panoramix (Getafix in English adaptations).
To date, the Asterix and Obelix albums have sold over 400 million copies worldwide.
Asterix in Lusitania will be simultaneously released in 19 languages and dialects, continuing the legacy of one of the world's most beloved comic series.