Mafalda

Left to Right: Miguelito, Susanita, Mafalda, Felipe, Manolito. Front Row: Libertad, Guille

During my time in Argentine, the cultural phenonemon that has most consumed me hasn´t been tango or football or Peronism, but Mafalda, a comic strip which is something of a cross between Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes.

It´s funny, it´s cute, and it veers between childlike innocence and jaw-drpiing cynicism.

The characters are:

Mafalda: A six-year-old girl with a precocious mind. She is devoted to her the Beatles and Woody Woodpecker, though she hates James Bond. Her plan is to become an interpreter at the UN and mistranslate the insults so that everyone can live in peace. Mafalda constantly listens to world news on her transistor radio and has generally 'progressive' views on things. Her mother is a stay-at-home mom and her father works in an insurance office. Mafalda is always confronting them with embarassing or difficult questions. She has a pet tortoise named Burocracia (Beaureacracy).

Susanita (Suzie): Apparently Mafalda´s best friend and a shameless gossip. Susanita is more old-fashioned in her political and social views, often making disaparaging remakrs about the poor. Her goal in life is to get married and have as many children as possible. She appears to have a crush on Felipe, though she and Manolito are always fighting.

Felipe: A year older than most of the other children, Felipe is fond of dressing up as the Lone Ranger and playing cowboys. He hates school even though his grades are very good. His teeth are unfortunately prominent.

Miguelito (Mike): The grandson of Italian immigrants, Miguelito is a year younger than the rest of the children and has ´lettuce-leaf hair´. Due to his Fascist grandfather, he attributes almost everything (including the moon landings) to Mussolini.

Manolito (Manolo Jr.): The son of Spanish immigrants, Manolito´s family owns an 'almacen', or neighborhood grocery store, notorious for its high prices and questionable products. His dream is to have his own chain of supermarkets.

Guille (Billy): Mafalda´s little brother. He is devoted to Brigette Bardot and draws on the wall whenever possible.

Libertad (Freedom): A very small girl with hippy parents. Libertad is a socialist, which often puts her at odds with Manolito and Susanita. She also tends to be cheeky to her schoolteachers.

It´s difficult to convey a comic strip without pictures, but I´ll try, to give you an idea of the strip:

(Mafalds is listening to her radio)
Radio: And now for an old tradition that´s never out of style...
Mafalda: Killing people?
Radio:...drinking Black-Grog Whiskey!
Mafalda: Ah...

Mafalda: Mom, do you think Chinese Communism will...
Mom: No! Focus on things a child should focus on!
(Mafalda blows bubbles into the air and claps her hands)
Mafalda: Ooh, how pretty! How pretty!(Pause) There you go. Mom, do you think Chinese Communism...

Mafalda: Hello Manolito; going around with all five senses focused on making money?
Manolito: I don´t understand; what are the other four?