Asterix the Gaul

The Asterix the Gaul moc was shown at Bricks and More in Belgium last weekend (13 and 14 November 2021). Many visitors were very enthusiastic about the build. We wanted to make sure whether the build was recognizable or not and the good news is that almost everyone, both kids and parents alike told us that it definitely was. What a great compliment! To our surprise there were even some LEGO fans without much knowledge of our Gaulish heroes, who seemed to love this set. Mostly because of the Roman minifigures since there are no existing sets that include those.

We received many support this weekend. It's less than 1100 supporters to go now ... so we are getting close!

During this LEGO event we also showed a new image of a possible alternative for the chariot of Julius Caesar: a fishing boat for the alternative minifigure of the Fishmonger Ordralfabétix.

The boat itself is based on the boat from "Astérix et la Grande Traversée" (1975) by Goscinny and Uderzo.

Here are a top view and a view from behind the fishing boat in order to have a look at it from more angles.

This boat can be moored at the jetty at the back of the Asterix hut. There is a little update in the image beneath concerning Asterix' helmet. We have colored the bottom edge of Asterix' helmet on the back yellow to make it look like Asterix' hair sticking out from under the helmet as it is also the case in the comic books.

Credits for printing design and graphic presentation: Peter de Smet en Rolf Smit. I am really grateful for their wonderful work and support.

Here is a little construction improvement for the secret hiding place of the Golden Menhir. I originally put a slope (65 2x2) at the back of the 'side' build that would block the secret door as you can slightly see here I this picture. A little mistake with a consequence. 

I improved the construction in order to open the rocks behind the waterfall properly by replacing this slope by another slope (75 2x1x3) and by placing it in different direction. Now it opens and closes perfectly. See picture below. 

This update also gives the opportunity to show you what is behind the bridge and waterfall. In previous images you could only have a good look at the front of the build. Here is an image of how it looks when there's no way the Romans can find out where the Golden Menhir could be. I replace the first version of the Golden Menhir with the other one from an earlier update. This one resembles the Golden Menhir from the original book more closely. I also included the buildable lyre of Assurancetourix.

This is going to be the last update concerning improvements on my LEGO IDEAS Asterix the Gaul entry. There will follow one extra update with images if the project reaches 10K supporters! Hopefully to be continued! We're really getting closer to the last milestone! Please, support this idea if you haven't done so yet and if you have, ask friends and family to support it in order to attain those 10 000 fans very soon! 

Today (11th of October 2021) the cover of the new Asterix comic book Asterix and the Griffin (original title: Astérix et le Griffon) was revealed by Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad during a press conference. Prior to the big reveal there was an hommage to René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, the creators of our Gaulish heroes Asterix and Obelix! I made a recreation of one of the earlier teased images! It is not part of the project but I have used the characters that I have created for my Asterix the Gaul project.

I use this image to promote Asterix the Gaul! Less than 1800 supporters to go now! And this is the original image. The new album will be released on the 21st of October, shortly after my birthday!

Let's continue to find supporters for my Asterix the Gaul project that is mainly based on the very first Asterix comic book! See for more info about it the project description. Please share it with everyone you know and ask them to become an Asterix the Gaul Supporter! To be continued ...

This is not really an update but it's more an explanation about the animals that are included in the project. The new animation series Idéfix et les Irréductibles (Free translation: "Dogmatix and the 'Invincibles") triggered me to fill you all in on the details.

The cows or oxen belongto the merchant who plays a role in the first Asterix comic "Asterix the Gaul"

The pig is from the movie "Asterix the Gaul". Just seconds before we are introduced to Asterix, this pig makes way for our Gaulish hero!

The owl that does not want to leave the tree trunk in which the Roman soldier Bondus is hiding is taken from the comic and movie "The Big Fight".

The lobster is not really an animal character but it's an ingredient for Panoramix Magic Potion. The animal appears in Asterix the Gaul and in the movie "Le Surprise de César".

The green frog plays a small part in the same movie where he gets Idefix' attention on the bridge.

A buildable wild boar. Boars always play a part in the Asterix comics! Asterix, Obelix and Idefix like to hunt them in the forest. I thought it cool to add an animal that one has to build!

Idefix is of course the main animal character of all the animals and appears for the first time in "Le Tour de Gaule d'Astérix" (1965) in Lutetia outside a butcher's shop. Later he becomes Obelix' faithful dog and joins our Gaulish heroes Asterix and Obelix very often on their adventures. In the new animation series you can find out more about his adventures with the other dogs from the big city.

We are very close to the 8000 supporters and then it's 2000 to go to reach the last milestone of 10K supporters.

Every comic book of Asterix ends with a lavish banquet. There are wild boars on the spit and there is plenty to drink. Everyone is in a good mood and Asterix always has a good tale to tell about the adventure he had together with Obelix or with other Gaulish friends. The bard Assurancetourix usually hangs from a tree with his mouth gagged so that he can not sing. Otherwise he would ruin the cheerful atmosphere. Many fans of the projects have asked for an image as this. So here it is! I hope it will bring in more supporters for my Asterix the Gaul Lego Ideas idea design.

Here I have put some of the main characters from my build together with the alternative figures in order to recreate the last scene of the Asterix comics. I also included 4 of the 5 the set pieces. Two of them are part of the main build, the hut of Asterix the Gaul.

Printing designs wonderfully done by Rolf Smit and Peter de Smet.

At the end of almost every adventure of Asterix and Obelix, during the lavish banquet of the Gauls, their Bard Assurancetourix ends up in a tree because he tends to take the opportunity to play his not so beloved music.

Many fans of the project asked me to add the possibility to attach Assurancetourix to the tree. So I made two ropes to restrain the Bard from his art. One for him and one for his lyre.

Next update is coming soon! To complete the picture ...

Printing design Cétautomatix by Peter de Smet.

Janjurcus, Bondus and Caius Bonus were included from the beginning of this project. In the first place I had some other pictures of them in which you could see that they also come with other accessories. When these pictures were replaced with pictures of better quality, these accessories were removed. So this update retrieves what was already there and shows that it is possible to change the characters into their full Roman armor.

From left to right:

Janjurcus also comes with a sword.

Bondus has a speer, shield and Roman helmet.

Caius Bonus has next to his white hair piece also a Roman Centurion helmet.

Janjurcus is also called: Sciencinfus (in Astérix en Corse) or Superbus (in Astérix et la Surprise de César, film)

This update belongs to the "Home Improvement" update. It has to do with a play feature on the dock at the back of Asterix' hut. I added a trap door in the dock. If Assurancetourix the Bard tries to sing a farewell song, Cétautomatix could smash him right through the wooden floor of the dock.

In order to lower the dock floor into the water, one has to pull out the pin horizontally. The minifigure (for example a Roman soldier) that has been placed upon the hinge plate can be pushed down. This dock can be found in several Asterix comics and in the movie "Asterix Conquers America" (1994). In one of the scenes, Assurancetourix goes out there to sing for the fishes.

The printing design for Cétautomatix has been created by Peter de Smet.

The main build of this product idea is the house or hut of Asterix. It consists out of two parts: an exterior and an extra interior with chimney and Obelix' menhir workshop. I have added another third part, the backside of the house so that it can be put together as in pictures below.

Front and backside of the house:

The hut can be opened easily to get to the interior. This improves the play factor. It also makes it easy to make Brick Films with it.

Here is a closer look at the interior of the back of the hut. There's another bed for Obelix upstairs and a place for Idéfix. Downstairs you can put the table with food and ... I also included some artifacts known from the comics Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield and Asterix and the Roman Agent.

So the idea is that this house can be put together however the builders, collectors and fans like to see it on their shelves:

Hopefully everyone who sees this will hit the support button for Asterix the Gaul.

To be continued!

Credits printing designs on Ordalfabétix: Peter de Smet, credits printing designs Asterix and Idefix: Rolf Smit.

Fans have asked for other characters from the Asterix comic books. I often tell them that it is based on the first album: Astérix le Gaulois from 1961. But they keep saying: We miss Ordralfabétix! Where's Cétautomatix? How about Agecanonix? There are female characters like Bonemine, the Chief's wife, missing! Abraracourcix should have his shield bearers. With the help of LEGO fan Peter de Smet (credits for printing designs!) and also in collaboration with Rolf Smit, we created these minifigures as (substitution) alternatives. But the main characters for the story that goes with my Asterix The Gaul project remain the ones that are on the main page because they are part of the story I came up with. Perhaps one could choose an extra character from these or replace a character from the initial characters with one of these six. 

 

Top: from left to right: Ordralfabétix, Cétaumatix, Bonemine

Bottom: for left to right: shield bearer 1, Agecanonix, shield bearer 2

The Chief's shield bearers should also hold up Abraracourcix' shield (which is already included in this set IDEA). I gave it a little twist ... literally. You can bend the shield over as often happens in the comics! For example during the fish fights. 

There were also some fans who asked for a menhir on Obelix' back. In the first Asterix live action movie "Astérix et Obélix contre César" (1999), Obelix carries his menhirs in a kind of backpack. So I used that as inspiration:

The next update is in the making and that will be all about the hut of Asterix.