Reading: Astérix

Today I finished reading the comic book, Astérix chez les Belges (with the help of a French-English dictionary)! This is my first Astérix book. I had read some Asteriques... but maybe those don't count... My French reading speed has increased a lot, thanks to a friend of mine who forces me to write email correspondences in French. :3

The funny thing is that many funny points were lost on me, but that I could tell certain remarks should be funny. Sorry can't pinpoint where.

I spotted Dupond/Dupont with ease but I didn't get that Abraracourcix is a pun for à bras racourcis. I also didn't get that Obélix is a pun for the 'dagger' symbol which pairs nicely with asterisk. Later on wikipedia, I noticed that the names were really translated in English.

Poor Cesar, he had to deal with the barbarians who functioned according to a totally different system. His battle strategy was foiled by three Gaules celtiques with the aide of a magic potion...

Also there is simply too much food. I totally didn't get why they treated the bard so brutally. Later wikipedia told me that this was a running gag.

I have always wanted to be able to enjoy books as natives do. I am yet to conquor the language barrier and then later the cultural barrier, because the French are singular. Oh, don't tell me it's the Belgians (who are even more singular) again. (An example of cultural reference is this obvious "J'irai, je verrai, et je vaincrai !")