The Guy Who Invented This Extremely Offensive Cartoon Strip Died Saturday

We love creative types so we felt sad when we heard a “groundbreaking” Mexican-American cartoonist died recently. Then we found out that “pioneering” Hispanic American cartoonist Gus Arriola who died Saturday at the age of 90 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease was the creator of “Gordo.”

The Gordo comic strip was founded in stereotypes. The title character was a Mexican bean farmer who spoke broken English and liked to siesta all day. The cartoonist, Gus Arriola, tho his parents were born in Mexico, never even visited that country until the strip had been running more than a decade.

Wait, was this guy Jessica Alba’s grandfather we hear so much about?

But Gordo hadn’t been in print long before praise started coming in from diplomats, prominent educators, Mexican government officials and the like, for its effectiveness in promoting friendship and understanding between global neighbors.

Ha ha! There’s nothing funnier than self-loathing. Also, beans! Beans are always good for a fart joke or twenty. Our condolences to the Arriola family

Groundbreaking ‘Gordo’ Cartoonist Gus Arriola Dies at 90 [Editor & Publisher]
Gordo [Don Markstein's Toonopedia]