Albert Uderzo, co-creator of Asterix the Gaul, is hanging up his pen at the age of 84.
But it is not the end of one of France's greatest comic book heroes - Uderzo has found several successors to carry on his legacy.
The Italian-born artist, who dreamed up the indomitable warrior with his scriptwriter friend René Goscinny in 1959, said he was "a bit tired" after 52 years of drawing and that it was time to hand over his creation to younger talent.
The announcement on Tuesday came on the day that publishing house Hachette celebrated the sale of 350m Asterix books around the world, making the diminutive hero one of France's biggest-selling exports.
"I've decided that there should be some continuity, and I want it to carry on for generations and generations," Uderzo told RTL radio.
Asterix and his jovial sidekick Obelix first appeared in print in October 1959, and their adventures fighting the Roman invaders have since been translated into more than 100 languages.
Following the death of Goscinny in 1977, Uderzo took over both the writing and artwork for the comic book, attracting criticism from diehard fans who felt his scripts lacked Goscinny's humour and irony.
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