Archie & Asterix
Many of my friends and family know that I am a certified bookworm, but not many are aware of a reading habit that I have had since childhood: comic books.
A certain portion of my bookshelf at home is stocked with singe and double digests of Archie, Betty & Veronica, and Jughead comics; meanwhile, my laptop has a folder containing an almost complete set of Asterix digital comics!
Archie in a perpetual love triangle between Veronica & Betty
The Archie series is perhaps the more popular of the two. Published in the U.S. since the 1940s, it follows the life and adventures of the titular character and his friends.
Archie Andrews, a red-headed, freckle-faced teen is in a perpetual love triangle between the beautiful, rich (and often spoiled) Veronica Lodge, and the cute, smart, girl-next-door Betty Cooper. My favorite character happens to be Jughead Jones, a laid back dude who cares more about food and his dog, Hot Dog, than all the girls vying for his attention!
Asterix, Obelix, & Dogmatix
Asterix, on the other hand, is a more limited series of about 35 stories. Originally written in French, it presents the tale of Asterix, a cunning and brave man from “Gaul” (ancient name of France), whose village is able to resist the aggressive Roman troops led by a fictitious Julius Caesar. Their strength comes from a “magic potion” concocted by the druid Getafix (get-a-fix, get it?).
Together with his friend Obelix (portrayed by the talented Gerard Depardieu in the film versions), the tree-hugging dog Dogmatix, and other delightful characters — Asterix must overcome the challenges brought by Caesar and his minions. Charming, funny, and witty, the series never fails to entertain. The characters’ names themselves are hilarious: Vitalstatistix (village chief), Impedimenta (his wife), Fulliautomatix (a mason), Cacofonix (the bard), Unhygienix (a fishmonger), Dulcinea (Obelix’s crush)…
There are certain things in life that we do not really outgrow; for me, reading comic books is one of them. Whenever I open an Archie or an Asterix comic book — I laugh, I wonder, I let my mind soar… I become a kid again. Perhaps I always was… am…
What about you… What thing(s) did you never outgrow?
Catch the Breeze 