Alterity and Feminine Traits in the Character of Mawa: Jungla Magazine (Zig-Zag Publishing, 1967-1972)

Abstract

This article examines the constructions of otherness present in the comic strip Mawa, an emblematic character from the Chilean publishing house Zig-Zag, with scripts by Juan Marino. Based on an analysis of the corpus published between 1967 and 1972 in the magazine Jungla, the author critically explores the representation of femininity in a narrative context traditionally dominated by male protagonists. The research reveals how the character of Mawa transgresses gender conventions by inhabiting and dominating the jungle space, traditionally conceived as an exclusive territory for the display of masculine attributes. This study contributes to the understanding of gender dynamics in 20th-century Latin American comics, highlighting the significant rupture that Mawa represents in the Chilean cultural imaginary of the time and her contribution to the reconfiguration of female roles in graphic narrative.