Overview
- German translator Klaus Jöken assigned the family name Pistorius to a Roman centurion in the newly released Asterix in Lusitanien.
- In the French original, the character is called Nouvelopus, and the design was originally modeled on comedian Ricky Gervais, according to the publisher.
- Jöken framed the naming within Asterix’s long tradition of speaking names and caricaturing public figures rather than as political commentary.
- German editions require Roman names to end in “-us,” a constraint Jöken says often necessitates bespoke renaming.
- The album has been on sale for about a week, and coverage notes the officer’s look also recalls Boris Pistorius.