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" Iconic comic book hero Asterix will celebrate his 50th anniversary this week. Created by Albert Uderzo and Ren\u00C3\u00A9 Goscinny in 1959, the character first appeared in French magazine Pilote. To mark the event, a new book titled The Birthday Of Asterix And Obelix will arrive in stores this week. Asterix books have sold over 325 million units worldwide. Uderzo - who has written and illustrated each release since Goscinny&amp;#039;s death in 1977 - attributes their success to the public&amp;#039;s appreciation for an underdog tale. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s David against Goliath,&amp;quot; he told TIME. &amp;quot;Everyone can identify with the image of retribution against things that are bigger than us.&amp;quot; Asterix has appeared in 34 books to date, as well as several animated features and live-action films. The Birthday Of Asterix And Obelix is released on October 22. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a183044/asterix-celebrates-50th-anniversary/>