Albert Uderzo, the French comic book artist and scriptwriter best known for his work on Astérix, has died. He was 92. French news agency AFP on Tuesday quoted his son-in-law as saying: "He died in his sleep at his home in Neuilly from a heart attack unrelated to the coronavirus.
He had been very tired for several weeks." The son of Italian immigrants had retired from drawing in late 2011. Astérix, which has a cult following, particularly in Europe,has also becomea major film franchise, both in animated and live-action form.
The property has spawned a number of cinematic adaptations, most notably 1999'sAsterix & Obelix Take on Caesar, starring Gerard Depardieu and Roberto Benigni.