The new edition of the French comic book series, Asterix, has a political twist and make fun of the United States.

Illustrator Albert Uderzo introduces aliens from a planet called Tadsylwine, an anagram of Walt Disney, with a leader called Hubs, an anagram of Bush.

Mr Uderzo tells France-Soir newspaper, "What the Americans are going through today with Bush got me into it. I had fun caricaturing certain things which have come from America. Even I am a bit surprised, because [writer Rene] Goscinny and I never got Asterix involved in politics. But here there is a slight political side to it."

There has been fevered anticipation for the new book, which has been translated into 13 languages.