'Asterix' Comic Artist Comes Out Of Retirement To Pay Stunning Tribute To Charlie Hebdo

'Asterix' Cartoonist Comes Out Of Retirement To Pay Stunning Tribute To Charlie Hebdo

The 87-year-old cartoonist behind the famous French comic "Asterix" has come out of retirement to pay tribute to those killed during the attacks on Charlie Hebdo offices earlier this week.

Albert Uderzo published two images in France, and shared both with the official "Asterix" Twitter account, expressing to fans: "Moi aussi je suis un Charlie" (I too am Charlie).

"Charlie [Hebdo] and Asterix have nothing to do with each other obviously," the artist explained to Le Figaro in an interview. "I simply want to express my affection for those artists who have paid with their lives."

"Young artists are on hand now and I wish them courage," he added. "They keep in mind this terrible thing came to their colleagues that no one could expect."

"Asterix," first published in 1959, tells the story of a village of Gauls -- led by the protagonist and namesake, Asterix -- that is in the midst of resisting Roman occupation. Asterix appears in the first Charlie Hebdo tribute, featured above, and he is joined by comrades Obelix and Dogmatix in the second.

Uderzo sold his stake in the comic series in 2008, but has temporarily reignited his illustration in homage to those killed in Paris.

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