Obelix and Co.

Obelix and Co. (Obélix et Compagnie)
Date	1978
Series	Asterix
Creative team
Writers	Rene Goscinny
Artists	Albert Uderzo
Original publication
Date of publication	1976
Language	French
Chronology
Preceded by	Asterix Conquers Rome
Followed by	Asterix in Belgium

Obelix and Co. is the twenty-third volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). The book's main focus is on the attempts by the Gaul-occupying Romans to corrupt the one remaining village that still holds out against them by instilling capitalism. It is also the last volume released before Goscinny's death in 1977; his next and last volume, Asterix in Belgium, was completed after his death.

After Obelix single-handedly defeats the newly arrived Roman reinforcements to celebrate his own birthday, Caesar once again questions the possibility of annexing the rebellious Gaulish village; whereupon the Roman economist 'Caius Preposterus' proposes to introduce capitalism, by which to reduce the Gauls' interest in war. For that purpose, he moves into the camp of Totorum; and upon encountering Obelix, buys a menhir every day for increasing sums of money. When Preposterus demands more menhirs in exchange for more money, Obelix hires other villagers to help him make menhirs, and an equal number to hunt boar for him and his sculptors. This corporation later includes a cart-and-oxen with which to deliver half-a-dozen menhirs at once, and an ostentatious costume. Obelix's increasing wealth alienates Asterix and Dogmatix, and causes problems for the village men, whose wives reproach them for not matching his success. To reprimand Obelix, Asterix encourages the other villagers to build menhirs, sell them to the Romans, and put their subsequent wealth on display. Complicit therein, Getafix supplies them with magic potion. Because the menhir makers can no longer spend time hunting wild boar, they hire the other half of the male village populace to hunt for them. Only Asterix, Getafix, Cacofonix, and Vitalstatistix take no part. Upon the accumulation in Totorum of excess menhirs, Preposterus returns to Rome, where he sells them to the patricians as a symbol of great wealth and high rank. Before long, a Roman businessman arranges the manufacture and sale of menhirs at a cheaper rate. Anxious to recover the money paid to the Gauls, Caesar imposes a ban on the sale of Roman menhirs; but the ban is lifted in the face of a possible civil conflict and Preposterus suggests a price war to replace it; but this provokes Egypt, Greece, and other peoples to sell menhirs to Rome. Soon, even free menhirs are unwanted. Facing financial ruin, Caesar orders Preposterus to stop the menhir trade, on pain of death.

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