Condorito

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A front page of Condorito de oro Gigante.
Type	Week magazine
Format	Tabloid

Owner	Televisa
Editor	René Rios
Founded	1949
Headquarters	Santiago, Chile

Website: (English) www.condorito.com(Spanish)

Condorito is a cartoon character, a personification of a funny condor living in a fictitious town named Pelotillehue — a setting typical of many small Chilean provincial towns. He is meant to be a representation of the Chilean people.

Condorito was created by the Chilean cartoonist René Ríos, known as Pepo. In spite of his Chilean origin, Condorito is very popular throughout Latin America, where the character is considered part of the general popular culture, and has a growing readership in the United States as well. Condorito and his friends are featured monthly in a magazine that carries the name of the main character, as well as a deluxe "best of" magazine entitled Condorito de Oro.

The structure in Condorito is a very simplistic one: each page is an independent joke, without any continuity on the others (though some jokes are larger or shorter than one page). The jokes are often sexual or chauvinistic in nature, and some of the details included in the artwork are gender-dependent, but the humor is usually couched in double-entendres that children would be unlikely to understand.

One peculiar characteristic of Condorito is that the character that goes through the embarrassing moment and/or serves as the butt of the joke in a given strip almost always falls backwards to the floor (legs visible or out of frame) in the final panel, although new comic strips have now put the victim of the joke looking at the reader instead. This classic comic strip "flop take" is accompanied by the ¡PLOP! sound effect. From time to time, this is replaced by the victim of the joke saying ¡Exijo una explicación! ("I demand an explanation!"), usually as a twist or downbeat ending.

1 Characters
2 Places
3 Stage gags
4 Fictional products
5 Parodies
6 Origins of Condorito
7 Condorito and politics
8 External links

[edit] Characters

The first Condorito collection, published in Chile in 1955

Condorito: The main character, Condorito is an anthropomorphic condor, lackadaisical and unambitious, but also kind, loyal, friendly and ingenious. Always a picaresque character, he is a sort of anti-hero who solves (or runs from) his problems using his wit, not his talent or work. Is portrayed as holding a wide variety of jobs (or none whatsoever), to humorous effect. His origins are obscure: in one strip it is said that his condor father threw him out of the nest in the Andes Mountains and that he grew up among humans, thereby acquiring his anthropomorphic characteristics, however such flashbacks are very rare and Condorito is often portrayed as a regular guy living a very human life. Originally his head was that of a regular condor (long beak, larger neck feathers) and he smoked, but over the years his head became rounder and the cigarette was dropped to appeal to kids.
Yayita: Condorito's "fashionable eternal fiancée". She loves him but hates his reluctance to discuss marriage. Although Condorito often gives her flowers, most of the time they come from her own garden. Yayita is strong-minded, attractive, and sometimes jealous (though she isn't above flirting with other men in order to gain Condorito's attention).
Don Chuma: Condorito's best, most loyal friend, he is a kind, tall and thin man who helps Condorito several times to solve some of his problems. He always has a cigarette hanging from his lower lip. Condorito calls him "Compadre" or "Cumpa" ("Fella"). They are probably actual compadres (i.e. godbrothers; one is the godfather of the other's son, or in Condorito's case, nephew). His signature quote is "No se fije en gastos, compadre" ("Don't mind expenses, fellow"). Sometimes he is billed as being single, but other times he has a wife.
Pepe Cortisona a.k.a "Saco de Plomo" (Sack of Lead): Condorito's nemesis (although they seem to be occasionally friendly to each other), especially when it comes to courting Yayita. Tall, arrogant and muscular; he calls Condorito "pajarraco" (Buzzard). He is the typical jock who depends on appearance and physical strength to make a point.
Coné and Yuyito: Condorito's young nephew (an orphaned relative he took in) and Yayita's niece respectively. Coné had a series of his own, aimed to younger audiences, and it's supporting cast included many of his uncle's friends' children. His name comes from when Condorito presented him to the Civil Registry, and he wanted to name him "Eugenio" (Eugene), but the civil servant insisted in writing "Ugenio". Condorito cried out "¡con E!" (with E!) several times, so the man finally wrote down "Coné", and that was it.
Don Cuasimodo and Doña Tremebunda: Yayita's parents. They reluctantly tolerate their daughter's engagement with Condorito. Cuasimodo, however, is willing to go along with Condorito when the latter makes fun of Tremebunda.
Garganta de Lata ("Tin Throat"): Condorito's alcoholic but very loyal pal. He spends most of his time at the "Bar El Tufo" (Bar "The Stench"). His constant drinking makes his wife very upset.
Ungenio Gonzalez: A not-so-smart pal of Condorito. He has white hair, long nose, and big teeth, reminiscent of a donkey's teeth, from which a drip of drool usually hangs. He has a son, Genito who is almost identical to him. "Ungenio" is a satirical pun, as the phrase "un genio", or "a genius", is what Ungenio is most definitely not.
Huevoduro ("Hard-boiled egg"): An eggheaded (and completely white) character, which Rios claims is based upon a Canadian ambassador. Like Don Chuma, Huevoduro is often straight man to Condorito in the strips.
Don Máximo Tacaño: The "most stingy" is a (humorous) miser who would die rather than part with his money. His name would translate as 'Mr. Maximum Stingy". He is often loansharking others and would not part even with items he needs. Originally there was a stereotypical Jewish moneylender in his place (variably called Don Jacobo or Don Salomón), but was replaced due to complaints.
Padre Venancio: Pelotillehue's Roman Catholic priest, presumably a Franciscan (because of his haircut). He tries to guide Condorito and the others in "the good way".
Tomate: Red, short, fat and bald, his head resembles a tomato. Sometimes substitutes for Huevoduro in the strips.
Comegato ("Cat-eater"): A friend of Condorito, who has a feline face and wears a beret, and, presumably, eats cats.
Cabellos de ángel: Big-nosed, his hair is like a sea urchin. His name would translate as "Angel Hair". Often prone to spiked-hair jokes (if he headbutts a football it will deflate, for instance).
Chacalito: Criminal character, usually seen in jail or trial for his several crimes (which range from stealing to homicide). His name would translate as "Little Jackal", which is ironic, since he is usually portrayed as the biggest man in town.
Che Copete: Stereotyped Argentine character, who resembles an old-fashioned tango singer. Is very arrogant and proud of his country (and often tends to exaggerate the quality of it or himself), yet he is friendly and good-natured.
Titicaco: Stereotyped Bolivian or Peruvian cholo character, wears a typically colla hat. Did not appear beginning in the late 1980s as he was seen as the stereotypical cholo from the altiplano .
Fonola: A huge man about the same size as Pepe Cortisona, but without the teeth and with a huge voice ("Fonola" is slang for "phonograph")
Washington, Mandíbula and Matías: Condorito's pets. Washington is his dog, Mandíbula his horse, and Matías his parrot. Washington appears the most, and in some strips he can talk, but Matías often takes the pet-speaking roles.
Juan Sablazo: The typical con man who borrows money putting up a good excuse and never pays it back.
Doña Peta, a.k.a. "Misiá Petita": A middle-aged housewife who is a neighbor of Condorito's. She often takes care of Coné when Condorito is away. She seems to be a widow as portrayed in some strips.
Condor Otto and Huevo Fritz: Variations on Condorito and Huevoduro, but characters in their own right. They are German or German-descended characters usually used to tell jokes with obvious or very dumb punchlines.
San Guchito: although not generally a character, he is the patron saint of Pelotillehue. He is usually shown in benediction, holding a sandwich in his left hand. His name is of course, a play on the english sandwich. Condorito has been known to cry out at times, San Guchito, sálvame! (Saint Wichito, save me!).

[edit] Places

Pelotillehue: Native city of Condorito.
Buenas Peras: Rival and neighboring city of Pelotillehue. Their two football clubs usually battle in the national league championship playoff.
Cumpeo: Neighboring city of Pelotillehue.

[edit] Stage gags

A crocodile seen trying to get into a building through a window or duct.
A sleepwalker in pajamas (even in the middle of the day)
A sign "DEИTRE SIN GORPEAL" (dyslexic interpretation of "ENTRE SIN GOLPEAR", "enter without knocking"). The sign can be hanging from a wall, and the words can even form part of a larger sign.
A sign "NO ESTOY" (NOT HOME) above a rodent hole.
A guy saying "Quiero Irme!" (I Want to Leave!).
A street corner with the legend "Tarapacá" ("Overhere" or "Thisway") and "Tarapallá" ("Overthere" or "thatway").
Street graffiti. The best-known spray-painted quote was "MUERA EL ROTO QUEZADA" ("Death to the Roto Quezada"), after a real-life grudge Pepo had against a Chilean military officer who had mistreated his wife during an incident at a golf club. Washington is sometimes depicted peeing on this graffiti. Beginning in the 1990s, as the comic's fandom spread throughout Latin America, the quotes were changed to include from the silly (Shake that ugly dandruff of yours, just not here) to the more useful (Do not puncture the ozone layer).
A UFO in the middle of the sky.
Billboards or advertisements for the beverage Pin, with the slogan Tome Pin y haga ¡Pum! (Drink Pin and do pum!!, or more likely as it is assumed that Pin would be a carbonated beverage, and pum is a children's word for fart, Drink Pin and Fart!)
When Yayita makes ¡Plop¡ she loses her shoes and sometimes, part of her clothes too.
Usually, the picture of a soccer player is seen hanging on Condorito's house. During the joke, the background images shows the soccer player kicking his ball out of the photo, and some panels later, he is seen stretching an arm out of his picture, trying to recover his ball.
Used chamberpots and smelly feet can be seen in the most weird places.

[edit] Fictional products

The newspaper El Hocicón (The Snout, or The Big Mouth), which usually contains zany headlines or gags. Its motto is "Diario Pobre Pero Honrado" ("Poor, But Honest Paper"). Sometimes when the headline is very important a cover of El Hocicón may be accompanied by one from the rival paper, El Cholguán (motto: "Un Tabloide Firme y Veraz", A Firm and Truthful Tabloid).
Soap Sussio (Does not clean at all)
Soap Popín (Con Olor A Calcetín, Smells like a dirty sock). In popular culture Popín is a kiddy euphemism for the Butt.
Pin soda, mentioned above.
Very cheap and awful wine brands like: Santa Clota, Tres Tiritones (Three Shakes) and Sonrisa de León (Lion's smile)
Cigarettes Smog and Cofcof.

[edit] Parodies

Condorito has done many parodies of well-known American characters. Generally these parodies have several pages dedicated to a story.

Prince Valiant ("El Príncipe Violento")
Batman ("Bati-Cóndor")
Tarzan ("Condorzán")
condornoe(noah)

[edit] Origins of Condorito

In 1942, the Walt Disney Company created the animated film Saludos Amigos depicting Donald Duck and a cast of anthropomorphic characters representing various nations of the Americas. In the film, while the Disney characters are represented as humorous versions of charros, gauchos, etc., Chile was represented as Pedro, a small airplane engaged in his very first flight, whose attempt to fly over the Andes to pick up air mail from Mendoza is humorously depicted. Pepo created Condorito in response to what he perceived as a slight to the image of Chile.

[edit] Condorito and politics

Condorito through the 1960s and 1970s held to a conservative perspective on Chile and its society, poking fun at both the new left-wing poets and the hippies. In his adventures there was a chauvinistic undertone to the jokes, with blacks often represented as villains and women relegated to domestic roles. After the military coup of 1973, some Chilean cartoonists were censored by the military regime, yet unlike other publications (such as the Argentinian Mafalda), which combined both criticism of society and humor, Condorito's publication continued, possibly due to its humor-oriented lack of social criticism. Since that time, many Chilean comics with a political view on society (e.g Hervi's Super Cifuentes) have been forgotten.

Now owned by the Mexican multimedia corporation Televisa, Condorito remains the best-known Chilean comic book character.