Before Asterix conquered the world, René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo created another bold and humorous hero: Oumpah-Pah the Redskin (Oumpah-Pah le Peau-Rouge). First appearing in 1958 in Le Journal de Tintin, the series tells the adventures of a Native American warrior living in the time of New France. Though the series only ran until 1962, Oumpah-Pah played a crucial role in shaping the creative partnership between Goscinny and Uderzo and foreshadowed many elements later perfected in Asterix.
Setting and Characters
The world of Oumpah-Pah is set in the eighteenth century, when French colonists were expanding their presence in North America. The main character, Oumpah-Pah, belongs to the fictional Shavashavas tribe, sometimes translated in English as the Flatfeet. He is portrayed as strong, brave, and guided by a sense of fairness and loyalty. His direct way of thinking often contrasts with the formal manners of European colonists, creating the humorous misunderstandings that drive many of the stories.
One of the most important relationships in the series is between Oumpah-Pah and the French officer Hubert de la Pâte Feuilletée. Initially captured by the Shavashavas, Hubert eventually becomes Oumpah-Pah’s “blood brother” and receives the affectionate nickname “Brother Two-Scalp,” a reference to his powdered wig. Their unlikely friendship becomes the heart of the stories: Oumpah-Pah represents physical courage and instinct, while Hubert offers diplomacy and European refinement, even if he sometimes struggles outside his own cultural world.
The series also introduces a wide range of colorful characters. Among them are a sorcerer named Y-Pleuh (“It rains”), a hunter humorously called Y-A-Plus-De-Saisons (“There are no more seasons”), and N’a-qu’une-dent, whose name literally means “Has only one tooth” but later evolves when that tooth falls out. The French creators had a flair for playful names, and even villains were given exaggerated identities. The Shavashavas’ rivals, the Sockitoomee, are shown as fierce enemies, while a Prussian knight with the impossible name Franz Katzenblummerswishundwagenplaftembomm often appears in ridiculous situations.
Origins of the Series
Oumpah-Pah has the distinction of being the very first character created by Goscinny and Uderzo together. As early as 1951 they developed a concept about a Native American living in a modern reservation, but publishers rejected it. Goscinny even tried to promote the project in the United States with a few sample pages, but nothing came of it. The character was shelved for several years.
When the idea was revived in 1958, it was given a historical backdrop and more adventurous tone. This new version was an immediate fit for Le Journal de Tintin, where Oumpah-Pah appeared regularly. Over the next four years, Goscinny and Uderzo produced five long adventures. Despite solid readership, a survey in the magazine showed Oumpah-Pah ranked just outside the ten most popular series. Combined with the growing success of Asterix, this led the authors to end Oumpah-Pah in 1962 so they could focus on their Gaulish heroes.
Publications and Later Editions
The stories were soon collected into albums by Éditions du Lombard and Dargaud. In the 1990s, Uderzo’s own publishing house, Éditions Albert René, reissued the complete series to preserve this early collaboration. A comprehensive Intégrale edition appeared in 2011, bringing together the five main stories, the original 1951 prototype pages, and previously unpublished material. This edition was reissued in 2018 to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the creative partnership between Goscinny and Uderzo.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Oumpah-Pah never achieved the immense international popularity of Asterix, but its importance cannot be overstated. The series marked the beginning of one of the most famous partnerships in the history of European comics. The mixture of history and humor, the inventive names, and the balance of contrasting characters all anticipate the style that would later captivate readers worldwide in Asterix.
The character did not disappear entirely after the series ended. In 1965 Belvision produced a short animated film, and in 1959 two vinyl records based on the stories were released. Oumpah-Pah even made a brief cameo in the 1976 animated film The Twelve Tasks of Asterix, when a javelin unexpectedly lands in America. Such moments show that although the series itself was short-lived, Oumpah-Pah continued to live in the imagination of both creators and fans.
Conclusion
Today Oumpah-Pah stands as a fascinating milestone in the careers of Goscinny and Uderzo. It demonstrates how the duo experimented with blending historical adventure and comedy before striking gold with Asterix. For readers interested in the roots of Franco-Belgian comics, Oumpah-Pah offers a glimpse of the creative spark that would soon ignite one of the most beloved comic series in the world.
