Asterix and the Soothsayer

Written by: Goscinny – Drawings by: Uderzo
Original title: Le Devin
Published by: Hachette Livre
First published by: Pilote no. 652 (04/05/1972)
First album edition: 1972
This album together with Asterix and the Cauldron inspired the first live-action Asterix film: Asterix and Obelix take on Caesar.

One dark and stormy night, a sinister figure arrives in the little Gaulish villafe. Prolix, who claims to be a soothsayer, prophesies that when the storm is over the weather will improve. And it does!

Now the credulous villagers believe every word he says, but Asterix has his suspicions of the smooth-talking Prolix. Who is really right about the soothsayer?

What the druids have to say about the album

Sales in France for this album are always slightly lower than for the others. The only plausible explanation is that the disturbing cover may put people off. And yet it’s a sheer delight to laugh about the gullibility of our dear Gauls. Any resemblance …

While the talents of Prolix the soothsayer have yet to be proved, predictions about the future (more or less intentional) abound. For instance, in the last panel on page 10 we can see our Gauls arranged in the same way as in a Rembrandt painting that would not come into being until much later. Further on, on page 37, the whole village poses, well before the camera was ever invented. And we also come across Albert Uderzo’s country house, which didn’t exist at the time, even if the menhirs offered by admirers ever since might have led one to believe so.

Character profiles of the album

Various versions of the album

Le Devin – Français – Editions Hachette
Le Devin – Français – Editions Hachette – La Grande Collection
Der Seher – Allemand – Egmont Comic Collection
Der Seher – Allemand – Egmont Comic Collection – Die Utimative Edition
El Adivino – Espagnol – Salvat
El Adivino – Espagnol – Salvat La colección
L’Endevi – Catalan – Salvat
O Adivinho – Portugais – ASA
O Adivinho – Portugais – A colecção – Salvat
Asterix and the Soothsayer – Anglais – Orion
Asterix a’r Argoel Fawr – Gallois – Dalen
De ziener – Néerlandais – Editions Hachette
Asterix ja Ennustaja – Finnois – Egmont Kustannus OY AB
Asterix e l’indovino – Italien – Panini Comics
Profeten – Danois – Egmont A/S
Asterix och spåmannen – Suédois – Egmont AB
Asteriks Kâhin – Turc – Remzi Kitabevi
O Adivinho – Brésilien (Portugais) – Record
Wrózbita – Polonais – Egmont Sp
Lo Dévinèr – Créole réunionnais – Caraïbéditions
Da woasoga – Mundart 17 – Wieneriesch II
De Zottelbock – Mundart 50 – Hessisch V
De Zukunftsgugger – Mundart 59 – Hunsrigger Platt II

Le Devin - Français - Editions HachetteLe Devin - Français - Editions Hachette - La Grande CollectionDer Seher - Allemand - Egmont Comic CollectionDer Seher - Allemand - Egmont Comic Collection - Die Utimative EditionEl Adivino - Espagnol - SalvatEl Adivino - Espagnol - Salvat La colección L'Endevi - Catalan - SalvatO Adivinho - Portugais - ASAO Adivinho - Portugais - A colecção – SalvatAsterix and the Soothsayer - Anglais - OrionAsterix a'r Argoel Fawr - Gallois - DalenDe ziener - Néerlandais - Editions HachetteAsterix ja Ennustaja - Finnois - Egmont Kustannus OY ABAsterix e l'indovino - Italien - Panini ComicsProfeten - Danois - Egmont A/SAsterix och spåmannen - Suédois - Egmont ABAsteriks Kâhin - Turc - Remzi KitabeviO Adivinho - Brésilien (Portugais) - RecordWrózbita - Polonais - Egmont SpLo Dévinèr - Créole réunionnais - CaraïbéditionsDa woasoga - Mundart 17 - Wieneriesch IIDe Zottelbock - Mundart 50 - Hessisch VDe Zukunftsgugger - Mundart 59 - Hunsrigger Platt II

The bookseller’s corner

Classic paperback collection

N° ISBN : 978-0-75286-642-0
Format : 287 x 216 mm
Pages : 48

Hardback edition

N° ISBN : 978-0-75286-641-3
Format : 287 x 216 mm
Pages : 48