Cuban Comics in the Castro Era

Creators, Characters, and Creative Characters

Most, if not all, of the comic artists in Cuba at this time were supporters of the new government or were at least opposed to the Batista regime. They were eager to support their new leadership with the skills they had honed their entire lives. Using their artistry and creativity, they turned their humorous and adventurous comics into a new arm of the Cuban propaganda machine, an arm that was entertaining and easily digestible by the general public, especially children.

Many artists and creators did leave Cuba because of their political ideas, the lack of materials, or simply to pursue other opportunities. However, the artists who stayed in Cuba were, for the most part, devoted to the new government or at least to its Socialistic ideals and decidedly opposed to the United States. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the American embargo in place, the artists and creators had to be inventive to continue producing their art. They obtained materials from friends from other countries, scrounged the area for scraps, and even made their own materials from natural resources. However, despite these challenges their creativity never wavered.

Roberto Alfonso Cruz (Robe) is a cartoonist and is the creator of indigenous characters such as 'Yari,' 'Naoh,' and 'Guabay.' Most of his work was published in the magazines Mella, Pionero, Zunzún, and Cómicos. He won numerous awards over his professional five decades until his retirement in 1997.

Jorge Oliver is a journalist, writer, cartoonist, graphic designer, director, and illustrator of children's literature. He is best known for his creation 'Capitan Plin' and has worked for Pionero and Zunzún. He has won numerous awards for his work.
Ernesto Padrón Blanco is a Cuban graphic designer, illustrator, cartoonist, scriptwriter and director of animated cartoons. He has been the director of children's magazines like Bijirita and Zunzún. He wrote and drew the comic strip 'Yeyín' and wrote many scripts for Orestes Suárez Lemus.

Juan Padrón Blanco is a Cuban animation director and comics artist. He is best known as the creator of the extremely popular ‘Elpidio Valdés’ who first appeared in Pionero in 1970. He worked for Mella and has won numerous awards.

Luis Lorenzo Sosa, a self-taught artist, joined Mella under Virgilio Martínez in 1960. he drew the first cover for Pionero and worked there for over 30 years until he joined Zunzún in 1990. He is best known for the science fiction series 'Matías Pérez' in Pionero.
Orestes Suárez Lemus is a comic artist who began his career at Pionero and later worked at Pásalo and Zunzún. He created the science fiction character 'Yakro' for Historietas and worked with writer Ernesto Padrón Blanco.
Virgilio Martínez Gaínza is known as the father of Cuban cartoons. He worked in the underground press, at Mella and Carta Semanal. He is known for the character 'Pucho', co-created with Marcos Behemaras, during the Batista era. He signed the strip with ‘Laura,’ to protect himself from the dictator’s government. he also created the Superman parody 'Supertiñosa.' He also produced work for El Sable, La Chicharra, DDT, and Pionero. He also designed many logos, and emblems for various groups and organizations throughout Cuba.







Santiago "Chago" Armada became an illustrator of the clandestine periodical El Cubano Libre in the 1950s. He created the comic character 'Julito 26' which he continued to draw after the Castro Revolution in the newspaper Revolución. Chago also collaborated on other periodicals such as Palante and created 'Salomón' during this time. He was also the founder of Granma in 1965, that ran for several years.



René de la Nuez published his first caricatures in his local paper at the age of 16. By 1956 he was a Zig-Zag contributor and there created the emblematic "El Loquito.' He also published other works in Revolución. Nuez has received over one hundred national and international awards for his artwork.

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