Asterix and the Chariot Race of the known world. Julius Caesar endorses the race but insists that a Roman must win for the sake of unity across the Italic Peninsula. In Gaul, Asterix and Obelix are taking Geriatrix to a dentist at a market in Darioritum, when a sibyl predicts Obelix will become a champion charioteer. Obelix then buys a sports chariot on credit, quits his menhir business and joins the trans-Italic race, accompanied by Asterix and Dogmatix. Over the course of the race, they encounter a range of competitors from other lands, as well as the people and cuisines of Ancient Italy. Only five
Nero (comic book character) came true. In "Het Knalgele Koffertje" ("The Bright Yellow Case") (1958–1959) Nonkel Juul appears, head of the biggest diamond mine of Transvaal. In "De Adhemarbonbons" ("The Adhemar Pralines") (1989) Nero's grandmother turns up and in "Bompanero" (1997) his grandfather. Whether this grandfather is the same character appearing in "De Ark van Nero" ("Nero's Arc") is not made clear. As one of the most famous comic book characters in Flanders Nero received his own statue in Hoeilaart, near an old streetcar station in 1994. It was originally made in polyester, but changed to bronze in 2004. The sculptor is Luc Cauwenberghs.