Albert Uderzo

Alberto Aleandro Uderzo was born 25 April 1927, and became the illustrator who gave Astérix his mustache, his defiance, and his shape. Working with writer René Goscinny, he co-created the series that made a tiny warrior from an occupied village into one of Europe's most recognized faces. The partnership also produced Oumpah-pah, though nothing matched the reach of the Gauls. When Goscinny died, Uderzo carried on alone, writing and drawing until the weight became too much. He retired in September 2011, nearly sixty years after the first panel. He died 24 March 2020, having spent a lifetime making France's most stubborn joke permanent.