More popular than "Calvin & Hobbes"?

Just kidding, sort of. I wasn't sure how to title this for this
newsgroup.

It's "Mafalda & Friends." (Easily the world's best comic strip!)

Check out the only two English-language volumes available that I know
of, published in 2004. (In Spanish, there are 10.)

For those unfamiliar with it, it's already been translated into 30
languages, which is allegedly more than "Calvin & Hobbes"! Sort of a
political "Peanuts" by Argentina's Quino and every bit as good.
Spread the word! I did, a while ago, to New England's oldest comic
store "Million Year Picnic" and they were excited - quite a few people
have been asking about the translations, apparently. I also told them
about Quino's wordless cartoons, of which there are several books!
(There is simply no excuse for those books not being better known in
the U.S. - anyone can order them and enjoy them.)

Ediciones de la Flor tried to get a deal with Scholastic Book Services,

but they said "Mafalda & Friends" was too sophisticated for children.
Let's prove them wrong! They then published the English translations
themselves. See below.

For "Mafalda & Friends" vol. 1: 950-515-759-2

vol. 2: 950-515-760-6

That should be enough info for your local independent bookstore -
though they WILL have to order them from Argentina. It's well worth it!
(Yes, you can also get new/used copies from Amazon, but let's give the
"little guy" a break!)

Ediciones de la Flor S.R.L.
Gorriti 3695, C1172ACE,
Buenos Aires
Argentina

www.edicionesdelaflor.com.ar

More information:

http://www.unesco.org/courier/ =FA2000_07/uk/dires.htm (An interview
with Quino in English)

http://www.turning-pages.com/m =FAafalda/ (Unofficial site for the
strip
itself with an English version. You have to click on "Gallery" for the
strips.)

http://www.zompist.com/bob2.ht ml (Yet another one - it includes strips

with Libertad.)

Ran: 1964-1973.

Mafalda is 6 years old and is always worried about the global situation

and plans to be an interpreter at the U.N. when she's older so she can
translate politicians' insults into compliments and bring about world
peace. Strong patriot, wise, progressive, loves the Beatles and hates
soup.***** Has a turtle named Bureaucracy.

The other child characters include:

Felipe, an amiable, procrastinating, daydreaming boy. Loves the Lone
Ranger.

Susanita, a bourgeois racist little girl who dreams only of Cinderella,

rich husbands, babies, household goods and bridge parties. Always wears

a very maternal bubble-cut hairstyle and pearl stud earrings. Fights
with Manolito. Talks non-stop.

Miguelito, a narcissistic pseudo-intellectual with feathery hair to
match. His Italian family keeps an antiseptic house and worships
Mussolini.

Libertad, a tiny, fierce but naive left-wing revolutionary. She
resembles Charles Schulz's Sally in her hair, energy, and academic
cluelessness.

Manolito, the greedy capitalist stooge. Stubby-fingered, low-browed,
has a crewcut. He helps his father in their low-quality grocery store,
plans to own a chain of supermarkets, is (usually) culturally
illiterate, and when an angry customer wants to return a rotten salami,

says "lady, nobody gets to return their newspapers when they don't like

the news!" Worships Rockefeller. Hates the Beatles. Fights with
Susanita.

Guille, Mafalda's lisping pacifier-hooked macho baby brother who is
also hooked on Brigitte Bardot. Loves soup. Causes frequent
embarrassment in typical toddler fashion.

*****From what I understand, decades ago, soup used to be the only
thing many Argentines could afford to eat, so naturally it was
mandatory for kids to eat it and the saying sprang up "si no comes la
sopa no vas a crecer," which means "if you don't eat your soup you
won't grow." From this, Quino turned soup into a symbol of
governmental oppression. In real life, Quino himself loves soup.

Lenona.