Asterix the Gaul is a graphic novel written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. It relates the adventures of a Gaul warrior named Asterix. Asterix is a small man, but by taking a potion made by the village druid, Getafix, he is very strong and defeats many Romans. This infuriates the Romans, and they yearn to know the secret of his strength. Asterix the Gaul is a highly entertaining and comic graphic novel.

The Romans have conquered all of the Gauls except one village in the northwest. Asterix defeats four Romans who attack him in the woods. When the Romans report their defeat to their leader, Crismus Bonus wonders about the Gauls' strength. Meanwhile, Asterix is in the village and realizes that he needs to take more strength potion. He goes to the village druid, Getafix, to get his dose. Crismus Bonus decides to place a spy in the Gaulish Village to learn the secret to their strength. Caligula Minus is chosen as the spy, dressed as a Gaul, chained and escorted through the woods near the village. Asterix and Obelix hear the Romans approaching. They defeat the Romans and rescue the prisoner, Caligula Minus. The Roman soldiers report the success of their infiltration to Crismus Bonus.

Asterix and Obelix take Caligula Minus to the village where the spy is convinced that there is a secret when he sees the extraordinary strength of the Gauls. Caligula Minus manipulates Getafix into allowing him to try the potion. During a dance, Caligula Minus' mustache is pulled off, and Asterix realizes that the stranger is a Roman spy. Caligula Minus escapes from the Gaulish Village and returns to Compendium where he demonstrates his strength by defeating other guards. He refuses to be cut open so that Crismus Bonus can learn the ingredients in the potion. When the potion wears off, the other Roman guards attack Caligula Minus.

Getafix searches the woods for mistletoes and is captured by the Romans. Crismus Bonus tortures Getafix for the secret, but Getafix simply laughs at him. Asterix worries that Getafix has been gone for a long time and goes to search for the druid. Asterix learns from a merchant that Getafix was captured and convinces the merchant to take him to Compendium. That night, Asterix begins his search for Getafix. First, he overhears Crismus Bonus and Marcus Ginantonicus plotting to use the potion to overthrow Caesar. Then, he finds Getafix's tent and tells the guards he has come to rescue his friend. The alarm is sounded and the tent is surrounded. When Crismus Bonus commands Asterix to surrender, Asterix surrenders. Getafix and Asterix laugh at their plot against the Romans. The next day, Crismus Bonus attempts to torture Asterix to convince Getafix to reveal the secret; the druid agrees. Getafix collects the ingredients but cannot find strawberries. Messengers search for strawberries and some are finally acquired at a great expense and taken to the Gauls. Getafix and Asterix eat the strawberries, saying they need more for the potion. Crismus Bonus begins to cry so Getafix agrees to make the potion now.

No one volunteers to test the potion so they get the merchant to try it. Asterix volunteers to allow the merchant to hit him to test the potion, and he falls over when he is hit, feigning injury. The merchant leaves, so excited with his new-found strength that he does not notice that his hair is growing rapidly. The Romans drink the potion. Crismus Bonus tests his strength but finds it unimpressive. At his accusations to the contrary, Crismus Bonus is assured that the potion is magical. The Romans are plagued with excessive hair growth and Crismus Bonus offers to release the Gauls if they provide the antidote. Asterix and Getafix collect the ingredients. Getafix makes the antidote and mixes the strength potion for Asterix. The Romans drink the antidote and immediately attack the Gauls; however, Asterix defeats the Romans easily. Roman reinforcements arrive, and Crismus Bonus is summoned to his tent where he finds Caesar waiting for him. When Caesar is taken to see Asterix and Getafix, he learns of Crismus Bonus' treasonous plot. Caesar sentences Crismus Bonus to Mongolia and releases the Gaul as a truce, promising to see them again.