The comic strip was beloved not only for its astute political commentary, but also how it was chockfull of hilarious moments.
Running Gags
- Manolito selling expired food via different means, and customers leaving in disgust, sickness or horror.Mafalda (while cracking nuts in the door hinges): Bugs! (looks horrified at the inside of the cracked nut) Nuts with inner life? Only at Don Manolo's!
- "Newspapers are full of bad news and no returns them. Life is full of bad things and everyone accepts it. And you're trying to return a salami just because it's spoiled?"
- Mafalda's many attempts to avoid eating soup.
- Whenever an adult has a panic attack and requires Nervocalm.The Father (seeing Mafalda thinking): Zas! Mafalda is probably thinking one of her famous questions. (places a bath towel over his head, resembling Mafalda's hair.) "Dad, why this thing like this?"Raquel (entering the room and sees him): *screams*(cut to next scene, where the father is leaving the pharmacy with Nervocalm drops and a pharmacist looks on at the camera) Pharmacist: I'm starting to think I play a pivotal role in the metabolism of this family.
- A special one would come from the local Cloudcuckoolander...Mafalda: Have you ever heard about the voice of our conscience?Miguelito: Yus.Mafalda: So how's yours—Miguelito: APHONIC!!
- Susanita gets jealous when she hears that Mafalda will have a brother.Susanita: Crap... here she comes.*Mafalda is squashed dead under a falling balcony, while Susanita looks with a triumphant smile.*Mafalda: Hi, what are you doing?Susanita: Oh, just thinking...
- Mafalda takes a dictionary and reads the definition for democracy ("A system of government where sovereignty is held by the people"). She spends the rest of the day laughing non-stop.
- Mafalda makes a jetpack out of a seltz bottle. It doesn't have enough pressure, so she gives it a good shake and tries again, to the cry of "To infinity!". The last panel shows a damaged ceiling and Mafalda's mom bandaging her head
.Mom: I warn you, Mafalda, my patience has limits!Mafalda: So does infinity. - Mafalda, feeling poetic, starts saying that this same Sun has shed a light on "Lincoln, Rembrandt, Bolívar, Cervantes", Miguelito adds "Mussolini!" and is beaten senseless, while noting "Grandpa says great things about Mussolini".
