Mafalda – Quino (1964–1973)

Mafalda is an Argentine comic strip about a precocious, six-year-old girl who deeply cares about humanity and world peace. Throughout the strip, she constantly asks adults difficult questions about politics, the Cold War, and societal injustices. Quino used Mafalda's innocent yet sharp perspective to satirize the turbulent political climate of the 1960s and 1970s.

Created by Joaquín Salvador Lavado, known by his pen name Quino, Mafalda became a voice for the middle class and a symbol of democratic ideals during a time of military dictatorships. The strip's sharp critique of authoritarianism and war resonated deeply across the continent. Her enduring popularity led to translations into dozens of languages worldwide.

Quino famously decided to retire the character in 1973, ending the strip's daily run to avoid repeating himself. At the time, he stated he wanted to quit while the character was still at the peak of its popularity. He never drew new daily strips, though he occasionally drew Mafalda later for international human rights campaigns.

Mafalda first appeared in 1964 in the Buenos Aires newspaper El Mundo, though she gained her massive popularity when she moved to the weekly magazine Siete Días Ilustrados. The strip's massive success in Siete Días allowed Quino to syndicate it internationally. From there, it was compiled into best-selling books that are still printed today.