Daughter blasts Astérix creator for selling rights to cartoon hero
A family battle is brewing over the rights to mustachioed French cartoon hero Astérix.
France's largest publisher, Hachette Livre, has purchased a 60-per-cent stake of the firm in charge of the popular comic book series from Albert Uderzo, who co-created the pint-sized Gallic hero.
His daughter, Sylvie Uderzo, has lashed out at the decision, despite the fact that she retains 40-per-cent control of the family firm.
The younger Uderzo published a blistering rebuke in French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday, blasting her father's move — made in December — and accusing his advisers of manipulating the 81-year-old illustrator.
"Astérix is my paper brother," she wrote in her missive.
"I find myself entering into battle against, perhaps, Asterix's worst enemies — the men of industry and finance."
She also questioned the deal's provision that would permit Hachette Livre to continue releasing new Astérix stories after her father's death — something she said he had previously opposed just like Belgian cartoonist Hergé, who forbade new stories featuring his Tintin character after his death.
"I will therefore fight, not against my father, but to preserve everything he has achieved," she said.
The senior Uderzo, who has not released a comment, created the bestselling Astérix comics with his colleague René Goscinny in 1959. He continued with the series after Goscinny died in 1977.
Goscinny's daughter, Anne, has given her blessing to the Hachette deal, saying in an interview that she would rather the stories and quirky characters live on.
Astérix books have been translated into more than 100 languages and sold more than 300 million copies around the globe. Spin-offs include several successful movies in France, a theme park located north of Paris and a lucrative merchandising operation.
Albert Uderzo is reportedly finishing new Astérix book slated for release in October to mark the 50th anniversary of the character's introduction in the children's magazine Pilote.