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The Dogamatix/Snowy connection?

rodney
Member
#1 · Posted: 17 Mar 2010 03:14
I've heard a lot of discussion that the creators of Asterix supposedly introduced Dogamatix in the Asterix series as homage to Snowy and indeed the Adventures of Tintin.

Is this accurate? I'm not sure..

Indeed Thomson and Thompson were shown (Asterix in Belgium) and this makes perfect sense being Tintin/Herge but I fail to hold the view that Dogamatix's creation was due to Snowy.

I read that while creating Asterix and the Banquet, the creators thought it would be funny to have a little dog follow Asterix/Obelix all around Gaul without their knowledge - purely a running gag for the adventure.
Apparently it was only after the story had finished and fan letters kept coming in pleading to see the 'little dog' in more Asterix stories that they even thought of a name for him!!

My question for discussion is was there a reason for Dogamatix being small and white in colour? This is definitely Snowy's characteristics (although different breed and larger!) so perhaps Goscinny and Uderzo did mean to acknowledge Herge in this instance without them ever thinking that Dogamatix would become the much loved character in Asterix that he turned out to be??

Thoughts?
jock123
Moderator
#2 · Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:50
rodney:
I've heard a lot of discussion that the creators of Asterix supposedly introduced Dogamatix in the Asterix series as homage to Snowy and indeed the Adventures of Tintin.

That’s interesting, because I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before - do you have any examples of this?

rodney:
I fail to hold the view that Dogamatix's creation was due to Snowy.

I agree, it certainly seems to be a pretty slim connection: so many people have dogs in real life, as do so many storybook characters (the Famous Five includes Timmy, for example) and cartoon characters (Charlie Brown has Snoopy, Dennis the Menace has Gnasher), that to pick out one as a source seems a bit unlikely. I could imagine that they might have said, “Oh, dogs can add a bit of fun to a strip, like Snowy does in Tintin”, but it seems a bit strong to class it as an actual homage.
rodney:
was there a reason for Dogamatix being small and white in colour?

He’s undoubtedly small to make the most comical contrast with Obelix - the pairing of the two is unexpected and out of proportion, so it is funny. I’d image he’s white because a) why not? and b) he’ll stand out more against other things in the panel - being so small, he might get lost in the detail.

Update: Sorry, on re-reading the question, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a very bad old joke from when I was a wee boy at school:
Q. Why is an elephant big, grey and wrinkled?
A. Because if it was small, smooth and white, it’d be an aspirin… ;-)
number1fan
Member
#3 · Posted: 17 Mar 2010 22:33
Dogs are always good sidekicks for hero's and I have only just realised this
TINTIN,Haddock and Snowy
Asterix,Obelix and Dogmatix. The same set up how did I miss this :D.

Interesting on Goggle Chrome is that spell check for Obelix wants me to change it to Abelson.
rodney
Member
#4 · Posted: 18 Mar 2010 06:08
jock123:
That’s interesting, because I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before - do you have any examples of this?

This was said in an earlier forum discussion Rivalry between Goscinny-Uderzo and Hergé?:

the Yeti:
Everyone here has failed to realize that Obelix has a little white dog (Dogmatix). It seems obvious that the creators of Asterix (Goscinny-Uderzo) were inspired by Herge and were Tintin fans and put the little white dog in there as an homage to Snowy.

Although I agree with the view that dogs are suited partners for people and hence volia: Dogamatix!

There is also a reference in Peter Kessler's book - the Complete Guide to Asterix.

jock123:
Sorry, on re-reading the question, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a very bad old joke from when I was a wee boy at school:
Q. Why is an elephant big, grey and wrinkled?
A. Because if it was small, smooth and white, it’d be an aspirin… ;-)

haha, Jock yes it was quite bad but it drew a smile :)
jock123
Moderator
#5 · Posted: 18 Mar 2010 10:28
rodney:
This was said in an earlier forum discussion

Ah, I see. As the comment was made in 2006 I don’t feel so bad for having forgotten about it… ;-)
It is best if you are creating a break-out thread from an existing one (especially an old one) that you make a link back to it, and mention what has gone on there (I’ve added one to your post now that I tracked down the thread). It makes it easier for everyone to be able to see what has gone on.

As it happens, it isn’t really a lot of discussion, is it? One person makes the contention, without anything to back it up, and then tybaltstone (read his Rainbow Orchid comic - you’ll love it!) basically says what I did.
As for your mention of the reference by Peter Kessler, you don’t actually tell us what he says, so perhaps you could fill us in with some detail?
rodney
Member
#6 · Posted: 18 Mar 2010 23:48
jock123:
As for your mention of the reference by Peter Kessler, you don’t actually tell us what he says, so perhaps you could fill us in with some detail?

whoops, I was at work while posting and did not have the book with me.... just realised upon checking later on that there is no mention there... could have sworn otherwise... sorry about leading you on!!
jock123
Moderator
#7 · Posted: 19 Mar 2010 01:02
rodney:
just realised upon checking later on that there is no mention there... could have sworn otherwise... sorry about leading you on!!

Oh, no problem - there are a million such gaffes I’ve made out there, where my brain has created all sorts of memories of things I’ve read or seen, which vanish in a puff of smoke in the cold light of actual fact! Fortunately Harrock keeps a close eye on me, and just whacks me on the back of the head with his rubber mallet at Tintintologist HQ as necessary to sort out any real howlers…

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