Asterix Omnibus

The Asterix Omnibus series collects the complete run of the classic Franco-Belgian comic Asterix, originally created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. Published by Papercutz, the series launched in July 2020 and is offered in both softcover trade paperback and hardcover editions, as well as through digital distribution.

Papercutz acquired the American license for Asterix in November 2019, announcing plans to reprint all stories in an omnibus format starting in 2020, with a target of four volumes per year. The first two volumes were initially scheduled for simultaneous release on May 19, 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed their launch to July. The first volume, *Asterix Omnibus Vol. 1*, debuted in the U.S. on July 14, 2020, with a print run of 20,000 hardcover copies and 50,000 softcover copies.

Each omnibus contains three original Asterix albums, a format chosen by Papercutz owner Terry Nantier because the original European 48-page album length was deemed unsuitable for the U.S. market, where graphic novels typically run hundreds of pages. The volumes are printed in full color, with redesigned covers that are smaller than previous American editions, averaging 160 pages per volume.

Hachette, the rights holder, generally opposed changes to the artwork but agreed to subtle alterations, particularly to tone down racist depictions of African characters. In August 2020, Nantier stated he was still negotiating with Hachette about adding contextual notes on racial representation in each volume.

The text was newly translated into American English by Joe Johnson, a professor of French and Spanish at Clayton State University, Georgia, directly from the original French. This replaced the previous British English translations used by Orion Books (an imprint of Hachette). Nantier expected the Americanized translation to attract new readers, especially younger ones. Johnson’s translation is described as more streamlined and accessible, with simplifications like changing "And now I declare the revels open!" to "Let the party begin!" Many puns were updated for a contemporary audience while preserving original meanings. Sound effects were also modernized—for example, "Kerplonk!" became "Thuddd." European and Latin references were clarified for American readers, though Latin expressions remain unchanged with margin translations.