Quino, creator of Mafalda, leaves us.

Argentine cartoonist Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón, aka Quino, father of Mafalda, the famous black-haired girl from the comics who was always at odds with adults, has died at the age of 88 from the aftermath of a stroke.
Making the announcement was his longtime editor Daniel Jorge Divinsky: “Quino has died. All the good people of the country and the world will mourn him.”

From an early age Quino was nicknamed so to distinguish him from his uncle Joaquín Tejón, an esteemed painter and illustrator, to whom he owed his passion for drawing. He attended the School of Fine Arts, but later abandoned it to pursue his dream job: illustrator of comic books and humor strips. At the age of eighteen he moved to Buenos Aires in search of a publisher willing to publish his drawings, but it would be a good three years before he saw his dream realized.

His first humor book, Mundo Quino, was published in 1963: a collection of humorous silent drawings. His most famous creation, Mafalda, made its debut on September 29, 1964, and was immediately successful: from South America it spread to Europe, and the first collection entirely dedicated to the famous little girl was published.

In Italy Mafalda la Contestataria was published in 1969, with an introduction written by Umberto Eco. Over time, the interest in Mafalda shown by the public has not changed: her books have been continually reprinted and the character has been chosen as a mascot for various social campaigns, including UNICEF, the Spanish Red Cross, and the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Argentina.

A series of short films entitled Quinoscopios, directed by his friend director Juan Padrón, featuring his humorous strips, was also produced, and as many as 104 episodes of cartoons dedicated to Mafalda aired on Spanish TV.

Throughout his career, Quino received numerous awards, including the official Order of the Legion of Honor. 2014 was a significant year for the cartoonist: Quino celebrated sixty years in the field of humor cartoons and his Mafalda turned fifty.

Quino, creator of Mafalda, leaves us.

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