Live long, and prosper... wherever you are now.

1951-2015

Sono pazzi questi Romani (SPQR...For the Senate and the People of Rome)

Obelix, Delacoste, France, 1967

Gros ? tout juste un peu enveloppé

If there is a character that represents all the "joie de vivre" of the French, this is definitely it. Big mouth, big heart and big muscles. Does not like Ceasar's soldiers very much (and they don't like him either, since they run like crazy away from them).

Dropped inside the cauldron of magic potion when he was a kid.

Sometimes wished I had that chance !

(on right) Asterix, Delacoste, France, 1967

Now the two best friends are together again

Nunc est bibendum !

Bibendum figurine, Michelin (?), 1960's France 

No, this is not an alien. This is the Michelin Bibendum figurine. Why bring this guy up ? Well, the Space Shuttles had Michelin tires...

So yes, went to space - check. (and yes, he left his cigar back home...)

See more here : Michelin website

And another Robotan...

Robotan, ?, Japan, 1970's

Robot with a medal. Sweet ! And it has a propelor on the head ! Even sweeter ! This little bot oozes nostalgia.

Around the world in 80 days ?

Phileas Fogg, ?, Spain ?, 1980's

Ahhhh. another one of the toons I watched when I was a kid. Thanks Jules ! (Verne, that is... not Ceasar !)

Do you remember ? Where is Passepartout ?

Astronaut meets tinman...

Space Man, Schylling, China, 2000

This astronaut is a copy of a Nomura toy of the 50ies (he was called "Earth Man" by the Japanese at that time). I wonder if the first astronauts really did go to space with guns of some sort. One would believe it to be futile, since any damage to the capsule would mean a death sentence for its occupants.

The fact is, during the cold war, space had to be "conquered" - instead of "discovered".