Rius
Encyclopedia
Eduardo del Río is a famous Mexican
intellectual
, political cartoonist and writer born in Zamora
, Michoacán
.
One of the most popular Mexican cartoonists, Rius has written over a hundred books that remain widely popular, especially amongst his Mexican readers. Rius is a fierce political activist, and his progressive
and left wing point of view is often present in his writings, accompanied by a strong criticism about neo-liberal Mexican doctrines, US Government policies and the Catholic Church. He formerly was an open advocate of the Cuban revolution
as in Cuba for Beginners and a strong Soviet bloc sympathizer until the end of the Cold War. With the publication of It's a Pity, Cuba in 1994, he modified his ideological stance offering a strong critique against the corruption, burocratisation and repression of the Castro regime.
In the 1960s he began cartooning in magazines and newspapers, sometimes regarding political themes. He made two famous comics, Los Supermachos and Los agachados, which were a humorous criticism of the Mexican government. After his successes with these, he made many books, all illustrated and written by hand by him and covering a range of topics on politics
, vegetarianism
and religion
. His books have become popular mainly because of their humour, which attempts to reach the general reader, as well as for their simplicity and intellectual acuteness. They give an overview of their theme without becoming difficult.
In 1970, the first English edition of Rius's book Cuba para principiantes, a humorous comic strip presentation of Cuban history and revolution, was published in the United States as Cuba for Beginners. The book made no particularly great impact; but the 1976 English-language publication of Marx for Beginners, a translation of his Marx para principiantes (1972), a comic strip
representation of the life and ideas of Karl Marx
, became an international bestseller and kicked off the For Beginners series of books from Writers' & Readers' and later Icon Books.
In the 1990s he participated in two political humour magazines: El Chahuistle and El Chamuco (named after an insect plague and the devil, respectively, because they were harsh on politicians and religious leaders).
His success and long career have made him a reference point to the newer generations of political cartoonists in Mexico.
Mexican director Alfonso Arau
made a film based on characters appearing on Los Supermachos in 1973.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
, political cartoonist and writer born in Zamora
Zamora, Michoacán
Zamora de Hidalgo, is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The 2010 census population was 141,627. making it the third largest city in the state. The city is the municipal seat of Zamora Municipality, which has an area of 330.97 km² and includes many other smaller communities, the largest of...
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
.
One of the most popular Mexican cartoonists, Rius has written over a hundred books that remain widely popular, especially amongst his Mexican readers. Rius is a fierce political activist, and his progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
and left wing point of view is often present in his writings, accompanied by a strong criticism about neo-liberal Mexican doctrines, US Government policies and the Catholic Church. He formerly was an open advocate of the Cuban revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
as in Cuba for Beginners and a strong Soviet bloc sympathizer until the end of the Cold War. With the publication of It's a Pity, Cuba in 1994, he modified his ideological stance offering a strong critique against the corruption, burocratisation and repression of the Castro regime.
In the 1960s he began cartooning in magazines and newspapers, sometimes regarding political themes. He made two famous comics, Los Supermachos and Los agachados, which were a humorous criticism of the Mexican government. After his successes with these, he made many books, all illustrated and written by hand by him and covering a range of topics on politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. His books have become popular mainly because of their humour, which attempts to reach the general reader, as well as for their simplicity and intellectual acuteness. They give an overview of their theme without becoming difficult.
In 1970, the first English edition of Rius's book Cuba para principiantes, a humorous comic strip presentation of Cuban history and revolution, was published in the United States as Cuba for Beginners. The book made no particularly great impact; but the 1976 English-language publication of Marx for Beginners, a translation of his Marx para principiantes (1972), a comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
representation of the life and ideas of Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, became an international bestseller and kicked off the For Beginners series of books from Writers' & Readers' and later Icon Books.
In the 1990s he participated in two political humour magazines: El Chahuistle and El Chamuco (named after an insect plague and the devil, respectively, because they were harsh on politicians and religious leaders).
His success and long career have made him a reference point to the newer generations of political cartoonists in Mexico.
Mexican director Alfonso Arau
Alfonso Arau
-Biography:Arau was born in Mexico City, the son of a doctor. He directed the films Zapata: The Dream of a Hero, Like Water for Chocolate , A Walk in the Clouds with Keanu Reeves and Anthony Quinn, and the Hallmark Hall of Fame production A Painted House, adapted from the John Grisham novel of the...
made a film based on characters appearing on Los Supermachos in 1973.
Selected bibliography of Rius's books (free translation of the title)
- Filosofía para principiantes (Desde Platón hasta hace rato) (Philosophy for Beginners: From Plato up to a little while ago)
- La panza es primero (The Belly First)
- Marx para principiantes (MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
for Beginners) - Puré de Papas (about the history of the heads of the Catholic Church) (Pope/Potato Mash)
- 500 años fregados pero cristianos (500 Years Screwed but Christian500 years screwed but Christian500 years screwed but Christian is a 1992 illustrated book by Mexican cartoonist and writer Rius which was published by Grijalbo. The book is a sharp criticism of the Spanish conquest, the Catholic Church, and the current condition of the indigenous people of Latin America who still are victims of...
) - ABChe (about Che GuevaraChe GuevaraErnesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
) - Kama Nostra (Bed Nostra)
- Cuba para principiantes (Cuba for Beginners)
- La Biblia: Esa linda tontería (The Bible: That Cute Nonsense)
- La deuda externa y cómo no pagarla (The External Debt and How Not to Pay It)
- Manual del perfecto ateo (Manual of the Perfect Atheist)
- Mis supermachos (My Supermachos)
- La Iglesia y otros cuentos (The Church and Other Tales)
- Lástima de Cuba (It's a Pity, Cuba)
- Los Panuchos (history of the National Action Party or PAN)
- Machismo, feminismo y homosexualismo (Sexism, Feminism and Homosexualism)
- Pequeño Rius Ilustrado (Small Illustrated Rius)
- Rius para principiantes (Rius for Beginners)
- Herejes, ateos y malpensados (vol. I y II) (Heretics, Atheist and Disingenous)
- Cómo dejar de comer (mal) (How to Stop Eating... Bad Things)
- La mamá del Quijote (Quixote's Mum)
- De musico, poeta y loco... (Of musician, poet and crazy...)
- Cristo de carne y hueso (Christ of Flesh and Blood)
- Jesús alias el Cristo (Jesus Alias the Christ)
- Filatelia para cuerdos (Philatelia for Sane People)
- RecetaRIUS: 100 propuestas para salvar lo que queda de México (RecetaRIUS: 100 Proposals to Save What is Left of Mexico)
- Con perdón de Doré (y de la Biblia) (Forgive me, Doré (and Forgive me, Bible))
- Su Majestad el PRI (His majesty PRI)
- El católico preguntón (The Inquisitor Catholic)
- "Pobrecito Japón (Poor Japan)"
- "Marihuana y otras debilidades (Marijuana and other weaknesses)"
- Osama Tío Sam (Osama Uncle Sam)
- El libro de las malas palabras (The Book of the Bad Words)
- El fracaso de la educación en México (The Failure of Mexican Education)
- El diablo se llama Trotsky (The devil is named Trotsky)
- "El mundo del fin del mundo(The world of the end of the world)"
- "De aborto, sexo y otros pecados(Of abortion, sex and other sins)"
- "Descubriendo a colón (Discovering Colón)"
- "La cultura no muerde (Culture doesn't bite)"
- "El otro rius(The other rius)"
- "La interminable conquista de México(The endless conquer of Mexico)
- "El amor en tiempos del SIDA(The love in time of AIDS)"
- "La droga que refresca(The refreshing drug)"(about Coke Cola)
- "Cuba libre (The free Cuba)"
- "¡Ya te vimos, Pinochet! (We already saw you, Pinochet!)"
- "Diccionario de estupidez humana (Dictionary of human stupidty)
- "Sería católico jesucristo? (Would JesusChrist be Catholic?)"
- "MAS herejes, ateos y malpensados (More Heretics, Atheists and Disingenous)"
- "La verdadera historia del tio Sam (The true history of Uncle Sam)"
- Marihuana, cocaína y otros viajes (Marijuana, Cocaine and Other Trips)
- Diccionario de la estupidez humana (Dictionary of Human Stupidity)
- El supermercado de las sectas (The Supermarket of Sects)
- Trukulenta historia del kapitalismo (The Tricky History of Kapitalism)
- Los panuchos (The Panuchos)
- La revolucioncita mexicana (The Little Mexican Revolution)
- Filosofia para principiantes (Philosophy for Beginners)
- TodoRius (AllRius)
- Votas y te vas (Vote then leave)
- Horóscopos, tarot y otras tomadas de pelo (Horoscopes, Tarot and other Frauds)
- Atlas para niños y niñas (An Atlas for Children)
- "Quetzalcóatl no era del PRI (Quetzalcoatl wasn't part of the PRI)"
- "Los agachados ( the agachados)"
External links
- Website about Rius (in Spanish)
- Rius' recent works (in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, last updated August 2006) - Current articles from Rius from Vinculando.org (in Spanish)
- Webpage about issue #1 of comic book Los Supermachos from Los Supermachos Remasterizados (in Spanish)
- El Chamuco, official web site of El Chamuco, a comic magazine about Mexican politics and critics founded by Rius (in Spanish)