Edition Albert Rene, the property’s owner, has struck the deal for a further two years.

Start and the French-based company have been working together for over five years, and Start Licensing has developed a number of high-profile deals for Asterix in the UK and Europe. These include the recent signing of high-end plush company Steiff, who have produced a limited edition Dogmatix plush and will also develop further products featuring other characters from the book series. Other licensees include Comic Art for limited edition screenprints, and Plastic Head Distribution for apparel, mugs and cushions.

Start Licensing also works closely with Orion Books the UK publisher of the Asterix book series. The most recent album release was Asterix and the Lost Scrolls last year. This has proved to be a success in the UK and other markets selling already four million copies in total. The book is distributed in high profile book retailers such as Waterstones, Blackwells and Foyles. Many retailers have dedicated Asterix space on store.

Ian Downes, from Start Licensing, commented: “We have really enjoyed working with Editions Albert Rene on the classic and iconic Asterix property. We are delighted that our representation has been renewed. We have some new licensees in the pipeline and the recent activity around the new album has renewed interest in Asterix. It is a property that has a rich heritage, fantastic artwork and a wide fan base.”

Yannick Guitot, from Editions Albert Rene, added: “Start Licensing has a good understanding of Asterix and we are pleased to extend our working relationship with them again. We look forward to developing further high profile deals like Steiff in the future.”