Asterix and the Secret Weapon (1991)

La rose et le glaive

Once more unto the breeches...

Presenting a pretentious thematic undercurrent...

Notable Nomenclature...

• Bravura: Feminist bard.
• Manlius Claphamomnibus: Envoy of Julius Caesar.
• Ziegfeldfollix: Lutetian impressario.

Continuity; lack-thereof and other gaffes...

• Another role-playing-children opener introduces 'war of sexes' theme (p1).
• First portrayal of Cacofonix as teacher since Asterix and the Golden Sickle
• More joke-ruining footnotes and translations (pp 3, 4, 7, 20, 31, 34, 36 and 38).
• Vitalstatistix going along with Bravura's insistence that Obelix attend school is just a tad unlikely at this juncture (p4).
• The ever-changing rulebook for appointing a village chief throws up two more variants: Coup d'etat and pebble-ballot. (pp17-18).
• Asterix first: Asterix bashes a woman (p19).
• First sight in Asterix of Dogamtix 'cocking his leg' (p21).
• The Gaulish code of gallantry will not allow them to bash a woman under any circumstance (p25); although Asterix has already transgressed this (p 19). This Roman strategy has a strange reflection in their subversion of British custom in Asterix in Britain.
• Bravura's unfeasibly extreme character development begins p 32.
• Cacofonix's newly-acquired rainmaking facility put to plot-resolving use again (pp 33-34).
• Self-referential comment by Asterix (p40).
• Impedimenta has commandeered the shield, so Vitalstatistix has to be borne by hand before being unsubtly dropped (p42).

Cleverness and contemporaneity...

• Reversal humour: Cacofonix bashes Fulliautomatix for asking him to sing (p3).
• Obelix cannot keep his hysteria within the bounds of the comic frame (p4).
• Bravura is wearing 'Levix Djeans' (p4).
• The dust in Cacofonix's hut is comprised of printed notes (p5).
• Getafix expounds his feminist stance - then immediately qualifies it (p6).
• Obelix is singularly underwhelmed by a canape (p6). Dogmatix, however, is less picky (p7).
• Bravura references the Early Music movement (p7).
• Bravura's drum-beating is as ... well ... cacofonous as Cacofonix (p7).
• Bell/Hockridge cheekily sneak a Lesbian reference ('Cardia and Mytili') into Bravura's version of 'Cockles and Muscles' (p8).
• Bravura's teaching-methods are conversely old-fashioned learning-by-rote ones (p9).
• Shakespearian misquote medley on page 11: Bravura begins an adapted version of Anthony's oration from Julius Caesar whilst Obelix accredits a cooked pig with the nomenclative and olfactory qualities that Juliet attributes to a rose.
• First symptom of Bravura's subversion: the women begin to wear breeches (p12).
• Bravura makes pass after Asterix: his expression post-bottom-slap is priceless (p14). She makes another one (p19).
• Given the choice of bashing-fodder , Asterix has to vent his frustration on Unhygienix (p14).
• Cacofonix's list of 'barbarians' is not restricted to mortals (p15).
• Impromptu male-banquet sees Cacofonix tied-up ahead of time (p22).
• School area has been transformed into a catwalk (p27).
• Bravura presents the Dreamy Dolmen evening dress from the Diorix collection (p27).
• Touching sequence where 'enfranchised' women are obsessed about the welfare of their menfolk (29).
• Lady Legionaries turn out to be extremely precious (p33).
• The village is given over to 'Great Trade Fortnight' devoted to Lutetian fashion and attended by markets of presumed female interest: hairdressers, jewellers, perfumiers and lingerie shops (p 37).
• Bizarrely enough - a leather handbag is given the brandname 'Herpes' (38).
• An unidentified voice refers to the 'Good Potion guide' (p41).
• The female century has taken Lutetian gaiety back to Rome (p44).
• Cacofonix is given a qualified invitation to the banquet (p44).

Those combined Male/Female bardic ditties in full...

• 'Amorica the beatiful' (p7).
• 'In Lutetia's Fair city' (P8).
• 'Sergeant Peppus' Lonely Heart Club's Band' (P15).
• 'OOOGNNNAAHRRRROUUUAAHOOHIIIIIIIIARHHYOUUAAARR' (an Anacreonic Ode transcending the verbal dimension). (P 33).
• 'AAIIIIIIIIIIHOUOUOUUUUUHAAAAYUUU' (poetical onomatopoeical work). (p43).

Non-PC World

Obelix has a tender side...

• Usual confusion over 'fatso' tag (p17).
• Misunderstands Asterix's line about liking the new bard better. Fears that he's about to lose his best friend to a woman (p31). Spreads rumours to that effect (p32).
• Has a crisis of confidence when the womenfolk manage without him (p38).

Classic Pegleg...

Redbeard's Retort...

Good or what?

Uderzo's second 'Village under crisis' story sees a return to good satirical form.

However...

Following the seeming radicalism of The Mansions of the Gods and Obelix and Co., Urderzo's agenda here seems to be a conversely reactionary 'feminism doesn't work' one. Bravura is a stereotype butch man-hater straight out of Carry On film iconography; and the village crisis more or less resolves itself when the various 'emancipated' women revert to fighting-is-best-left-to-the-menfolk-so-lets-all-go-shopping-for-clothes type. The usual village-regulars dynamic is nonetheless handled very well, resulting in some fabulous comedy. The overall effect does slightly grate, though.