Uderzo throws a curve ball by introducing Asterix and Obelix's parents - they live in a far off town where they sell souvenirs, happily existing under Roman occupation... which kind of makes the whole concept of the series a joke (why resist the Romans at all then?) It's a good idea though to have the two dads put in gaol as Pompey tries to retrieve an old sword and shield, and a good one to have an actress come into the village. But not such a good idea to have said actress pretend to be Panacea, Obelix's old flame. This story confronts Asterix's sexual persuasion more than any other - both his and Obelix's mothers want them to get married but the two are passionately against the idea. Obelix is shown to at least be in love with Panacea - so is, later, Asterix... but only after he's been hit on the head and goes into a catatonic state (he later snaps out of it). On the basis of this and Asterix and the Secret Weapon the inclination seems fairly clear. You could argue "well, he's just a big kid like Tintin and Captain Haddock" - but Tintin and Haddock lived in a world without women (excepting Bianca Castafiore). Asterix lives in a village surrounded by women and families.Stories where the narrative is driven by the Romans always seem to suffer a little, because our heroes are passive. Uderzo has little fun with the topic of actresses (the theatre is a subject that could have supported a decent adventure), the action is repetitive, the fight to rescue the dads without threat or interest, the re-appearance of Panacea totally uninvolving.It's a flat effort and you wish Uderzo would hang up his pen
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