Ren é Goscinny and Alberto Uderzo's most famous series is Asterix . Maybe it's worth going back to the beginning and getting to know the first idea of this talented duo? Is a short series about the adventures of an Indian called Umpa-pa worth recommending to lovers of undefeated Gauls?
Our Indian brothers
Oompa-pa tells the adventures of a brave and strong Indian from the Szpokoszpoko tribe and a not-so-bright French nobleman Hubert de la Pur ée de Cartofelle. All the stories centered around this unusual duo are featured in this omnibus edition. And what are these stories? Diverse, because on the pages of this comic not only there are such obvious events as fights between two tribes or the siege of a fort, but also Umpa-pa and Hubert are going to Europe for horses! And of course there are pirates on their way, and they are much more interesting than those known from comic books about Asterix. In the last story, however, the Prussians come to the New World to fight the French. Interestingly, the cause of the conflict between the two countries is extremely trivial. However, the very course of the battle and the exchange of pleasantries between the warring parties knocks you off your feet! The characters are incredibly likeable. Umpa-pa is a brave warrior, faithful to Indian traditions, and Hubert, in turn, is a gaping dreamer. The differences in characters are clearly visible during their duel. The French aristocrat shows off his fencing skills, and the Indian simply hits him on the head and knocks him unconscious.
We go back in time
When it comes to the graphic design, just like in Asterix , Albert Uderzo’s line impresses from the first frame .I particularly appreciate the skilful portrayal of emotions accompanying the characters. The cartoonist also pays attention to details – the colorful and diverse costumes of the Indians draw special attention. The graphic design, of course, had to be excellent, and the Egmont publishing house enriched this edition by adding interesting journalism. It describes how Oompa-pa was born. First of all, it turned out that the original idea was to show the contrast between modern society and the tribal traditions of Indians in the 20th century. And that original version of Oompa-pa’s adventures is included in this volume as well! So you can see if the creators did the right thing by finally moving the action two centuries back. And also find out how the two talented artists met or see their sketches. A very interesting addition, but I would rather see it at the end of the volume,
Is it worth joining the Szpokoszpoko tribe?
I like the works of Ren é Goscinny, I enjoyed reading comics about the adventures of Asterix, Lucky Luke or Iznogud with great pleasure. Because of this, I assumed that Ompa-pa would like it too and would laugh a little around it. However, this comic turned out to be better than I expected! I was particularly captivated by the puns and funny names, especially the absurdly long surname of a certain Prussian soldier. Though it was just as funny to see how the One Tooth became the One Tooth that fell out and is gone! What surprised me the most was that I didn’t enjoy reading Asterix as much as I had from Oompa-pa. An additional advantage of this collective volume is an interesting publicist, as well as the attached prototype of this excellent comic book. I had a lot of fun while reading it. I recommend everyone to pick up one of Ren é Goscinny’s works to improve their mood, and it is especially worth giving a chance to the steadfast warrior from the Szpokoszpoko tribe.
