Asterix artwork raises €150,000 for attack victims

AFPParisAn original page of artwork from the 1971 comic Asterix and the Laurel Wreath went under the hammer in Paris on Saturday for €150,000, with the proceeds of the auction going entirely to the families of victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack on January 7.The storyboard from the 18th comic in the popular French series will carry a special dedication by co-creator Albert Uderzo while auction house Christie’s said it would waive its commission for the charity sale.The artwork, which was sold at an auction dedicated to comic books, had been valued at between €150,000 and €200,000 ($157,000-$209,000).There was no immediate information about the buyer.Two days after the shootings, Uderzo came out of retirement to pen cartoons in tribute to the victims, who included some of the country’s most celebrated cartoonists.“Moi aussi je suis un Charlie” (“I’m Charlie too”) says Asterix in one of the cartoons, echoing the “Je Suis Charlie” slogan adopted by people around the world protesting at the attack on freedom of expression.