Quino

Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón, universally known as Quino, was born on 17 July 1932 in Mendoza, Argentina, and died on 30 September 2020. He is best remembered as the creator of *Mafalda*, a comic strip that ran from 1964 to 1973 and became a cultural touchstone across Latin America and Europe. Quino’s work is celebrated for its sharp social satire, using everyday situations to comment on politics, human nature, and the absurdities of modern life.

Quino’s path into comics began after he moved to Buenos Aires in the 1950s, where he sold his first cartoons to magazines. His big break came when he was asked to create a strip for a newspaper, leading to the birth of Mafalda—a precocious, world-weary girl who questions authority and society. Quino wrote, drew, and lettered the strip himself, giving it a distinctive, clean style that balanced gentle humor with biting critique. His key collaborators were few, as he worked largely solo, but his influence spread through international syndication.

Beyond *Mafalda*, Quino produced numerous single-panel cartoons and books, such as *Der große Quino* and *Jeder so gut er kann*, which showcase his wit and observational eye. He received major honors, including the Prince Claus Award and the Konex Award, and his work remains in print globally. Quino’s legacy endures as a master of comic satire whose characters still resonate with readers decades later.