The information was under wraps. The project is so important, the workload so enormous, that Grifix and Fableplacid, those Studio slackers, thought I was completely crazy, or close to it.
"We'll never make it. Doubleclix should be locked up right now, there isn't a minute to lose," and so on.
Those words of treachery were reported to me by someone who shall remain nameless here. So, when push came to shove, we decided, along with our master, Albert Uderzo, to just let you spend your summer in the village blissfully unaware.
We wouldn't have wanted to have to deal with a strike in the midst of all that sand.
But then Livres Hebdo, that French magazine dedicated to the publishing world, got their e-mails crossed and published our top-secret information in a special report on Comic Book world: "Asterix Re-Foundation Planned for this Fall". Somebody's going to hear about this, for sure. But, rest assured, it's actually all for the best since the project, even though it was considered a Herculean task, is actually ready to roll. In fact, it's splendid, even magnificent. A press release in the form of a special first issue is already hot off the press and ready for delivery. The Studio has even signed on a loyal team, all fans of those 2HB pencils, who carried out their mission without a hitch. How about that?
So what is this all about, I suppose you are wondering. Was the summer too much for Doubleclix? Not to worry, my friends. I assure you, it is quite simply the MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT IN THE COMIC BOOK UNIVERSE! No more, no less. But you will see when the time comes. It is enormous!
Here's the background: about two years ago, while studying the differences among the various albums - different blacks, difference in lettering, inking or colours from the various periods, the reprints and so on - I asked those two Studio layabouts, "Hey, you knuckleheads, can you explain exactly why life is like that, why black is not always the same black, why there is blue and then a different blue - all that sort of thing?" And you know what those idiots did? They actually agreed with me! "Don't hit us any more! It's not our fault! It happened way before we even got here!" So I lay off the beating and forged ahead, "And did you ask Albert about this?" Their silence hardly pleaded in their favour, but given that they have families to support, we changed the subject and talked about the future instead. (They won't be getting any dessert for at least a year, though. If you only knew these two clowns, you would realize just how severe a punishment this is.)
Seriously, redoing almost 1500 plates is an absolutely gargantuan task! But given that I've managed to stay relatively young at heart, I simply thought that it would be a terrific gift to touch up everything under the attentive and delighted eye of the author. I even remember that Albert Uderzo actually cried on Grifix's shoulder as he told us about the horrendous conditions in which he had to colour those first albums. After Kleenex had been distributed to the entire crew, those good-for-nothings actually tried once again to sneak out of the office without the mission assignment, but they hadn't counted on the determination of Editions Albert René. Armed with nothing but courage, Sinonpaf, Liteulfourmix and especially Komankiténeuillix rounded up the two miscreants and made them promise - even swear - to carry out their Mission Impossible 33.
So here we are, two years later. And who do you suppose are the proudest of all? Grifix and Fableplacide, of course! In the end, they managed to find all the resources (especially the time) to offer a remarkable gift to the author and millions of his readers. From the outset, the situation could have been summed up like this: If Asterix were created today, we would have new colouring and photo-engraving methods to work with thanks to the digitization of the production chain. By Toutatis! So we sat down and began planning: if we wanted to offer old and new readers alike a Re-Foundation of those 1444 plates - in other words, clean them up, re-letter them, re-ink them (at least whenever necessary) and then re-colour them - we would have to have a timetable, a clear sense of direction and plenty of determination. We would also have to take advantage of the project to expand the panels a bit, since any restored collection of the 33 Asterix albums would be at least 20% bigger than the traditional series - a real treat for the eyes. So, while some panels reappear completely (see Asterix the Gaul), there are details in some of Albert Uderzo's drawings that seem to show up for the very first time. In short, what we have done amounts to salvaging a part of our heritage!
We would like to extend a special thanks to our publishing partners, Hachette and Ehapa, who were quick to understand and support us in this enormous project. It's true, it's terrific to be able to do something so noble and to have the financial means to back you up - I just want to underline this point with two bold strokes of my 2HB pencils. Shoot, I've broken off the point, that's what I get for sharpening them too much. The first press run of the French and German editions is scheduled for 6 December. Hurry up and reserve your copy at your favourite bookshop, since the first printing in France will be for just 20,000 copies of each title and the first four titles to be made over are Asterix the Gaul, Asterix and the Golden Sickle, Asterix and the Actress and Asterix and the Class Act. You may even find it useful to add a timeline to your bookshelf once you have acquired the entire collection in 2009, at a rate of 8 to 10 titles per year, just in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our little Gaulish friend.
But then Livres Hebdo, that French magazine dedicated to the publishing world, got their e-mails crossed and published our top-secret information in a special report on Comic Book world: "Asterix Re-Foundation Planned for this Fall". Somebody's going to hear about this, for sure. But, rest assured, it's actually all for the best since the project, even though it was considered a Herculean task, is actually ready to roll. In fact, it's splendid, even magnificent. A press release in the form of a special first issue is already hot off the press and ready for delivery. The Studio has even signed on a loyal team, all fans of those 2HB pencils, who carried out their mission without a hitch. How about that?
So what is this all about, I suppose you are wondering. Was the summer too much for Doubleclix? Not to worry, my friends. I assure you, it is quite simply the MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT IN THE COMIC BOOK UNIVERSE! No more, no less. But you will see when the time comes. It is enormous!
Here's the background: about two years ago, while studying the differences among the various albums - different blacks, difference in lettering, inking or colours from the various periods, the reprints and so on - I asked those two Studio layabouts, "Hey, you knuckleheads, can you explain exactly why life is like that, why black is not always the same black, why there is blue and then a different blue - all that sort of thing?" And you know what those idiots did? They actually agreed with me! "Don't hit us any more! It's not our fault! It happened way before we even got here!" So I lay off the beating and forged ahead, "And did you ask Albert about this?" Their silence hardly pleaded in their favour, but given that they have families to support, we changed the subject and talked about the future instead. (They won't be getting any dessert for at least a year, though. If you only knew these two clowns, you would realize just how severe a punishment this is.)
Seriously, redoing almost 1500 plates is an absolutely gargantuan task! But given that I've managed to stay relatively young at heart, I simply thought that it would be a terrific gift to touch up everything under the attentive and delighted eye of the author. I even remember that Albert Uderzo actually cried on Grifix's shoulder as he told us about the horrendous conditions in which he had to colour those first albums. After Kleenex had been distributed to the entire crew, those good-for-nothings actually tried once again to sneak out of the office without the mission assignment, but they hadn't counted on the determination of Editions Albert René. Armed with nothing but courage, Sinonpaf, Liteulfourmix and especially Komankiténeuillix rounded up the two miscreants and made them promise - even swear - to carry out their Mission Impossible 33.
So here we are, two years later. And who do you suppose are the proudest of all? Grifix and Fableplacide, of course! In the end, they managed to find all the resources (especially the time) to offer a remarkable gift to the author and millions of his readers. From the outset, the situation could have been summed up like this: If Asterix were created today, we would have new colouring and photo-engraving methods to work with thanks to the digitization of the production chain. By Toutatis! So we sat down and began planning: if we wanted to offer old and new readers alike a Re-Foundation of those 1444 plates - in other words, clean them up, re-letter them, re-ink them (at least whenever necessary) and then re-colour them - we would have to have a timetable, a clear sense of direction and plenty of determination. We would also have to take advantage of the project to expand the panels a bit, since any restored collection of the 33 Asterix albums would be at least 20% bigger than the traditional series - a real treat for the eyes. So, while some panels reappear completely (see Asterix the Gaul), there are details in some of Albert Uderzo's drawings that seem to show up for the very first time. In short, what we have done amounts to salvaging a part of our heritage!
We would like to extend a special thanks to our publishing partners, Hachette and Ehapa, who were quick to understand and support us in this enormous project. It's true, it's terrific to be able to do something so noble and to have the financial means to back you up - I just want to underline this point with two bold strokes of my 2HB pencils. Shoot, I've broken off the point, that's what I get for sharpening them too much. The first press run of the French and German editions is scheduled for 6 December. Hurry up and reserve your copy at your favourite bookshop, since the first printing in France will be for just 20,000 copies of each title and the first four titles to be made over are Asterix the Gaul, Asterix and the Golden Sickle, Asterix and the Actress and Asterix and the Class Act. You may even find it useful to add a timeline to your bookshelf once you have acquired the entire collection in 2009, at a rate of 8 to 10 titles per year, just in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our little Gaulish friend.