TOTAL LICENSING
“I signed with Editora Abril and they ning at over 1000 percent and a series
launched my first comic book, with a of political problems that beset the
print run of 200,000 in May 1970”, he country.
explained. The characters he created Only recently has Mauricio returned
at this time included Chuck Billy ‘n’ to animation with a film that launched
Folks, Horacio’s World, Tina and Pals, in February this year and a television
Bug-a-Booo and, of course Monica’s series comprising 50 x 10 minute epi-
Gang, a group of six and seven year sodes that will debut lat the end of the
olds, each with a unique personality. At year and will air on Cartoon Network
the heart of every plot was the rivalry throughout Latin America. Looking
between girls and boys to be the lead- ahead, next year will see a 3D movie,
er of the gang and whilst characters together with a further television se-
such as Jimmy Five, Maggy and Smudge ries.
were stars in their own right, Monica Going back to the late 80s and 90s,
herself was, and still is, the undisputed whilst animation was an impossible
star of the strip. dream, Mauricio continued to develop
Within two years of his initial launch, his characters to the point where
Organization (a division of the UN
new titles were published and his busi- Monica and her friends are estimated
World Health Organization), he was
ness grew steeply to be worth around 30% of the total
honoured as a Champion of Health in
and he never looked Brazilian market. In 1994, he opened
the Americas.
back. “Today, we a theme park in a Sao Paulo mall oc-
Bringing the story right up to date,
have twelve month- cupying 10,000 square metres over
Mauricio has recently completed an
ly comic books three floors. The park is regularly full
exhibition of ‘old masters’ which have
employing more and attracts around 3000 children on
been changed to include Monica. The
than 60 artists”, he weekdays, rising to 5000 at weekends.
exhibit has toured Sao Paulo, Rio and
explained. “Quite a “I really wanted to give the children
Brasilia over the last three years and
jump from the early of Sao Paulo some place to play”, ex-
he is now creating more art for a new
days!”. plained Mauricio. A number of travel-
exhibition.
Licensing the char- ling parks also tour Brazil taking the
Of course, his most recent signing has
acters was inevita- characters to children who, because
been Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho
ble and Mauricio of distance, could never travel to Sao
Gaucho.
signed his first li- Paulo.
In May 2006, Mauricio introduced his
cense – for a range His love of children is very much at
new strip based on the football star
of decorative prod- the heart of everything he does. The
who was named best soccer player in
ucts – in 1968. father of ten children of his own, rang-
the world in 2004 and 2005. Ronald-
Of course, at this point, Mauricio real- ing in age from 47 down to 8, he also
inho Gaucho is internationally syndi-
ised that whilst his comic books could has eleven grandchildren and is now a
cated by Universal Press Sydicate and
form the basis of successful licensing great grandfather.
Mauricio has already taken Ronaldinho
programs, he would do that much bet- “I am always delighted to see children
to star status in publishing, licensing,
ter if he had animation. “I knew that we learning to read using Monica and her
animation, television, syndication and
needed animation moving forwards so friends”, he explained. “I try to add
social campaigns.
I opened a studio to put the simple values into my stories, without them
With a multi-million dollar business,
language of my ‘kids’ on the screen.” preaching to children.”
150 staff and millions of his books sold
Throughout the 1980s, Mauricio cre- In fact, Mauricio is heavily involved in
each year, it would be easy to imagine
ated various animated series totalling pre-school education as well as spend-
that Mauricio de Sousa could begin
upwards of 600 minutes. However, ing time giving talks at schools and
to take a back seat in his early 70s.
production came to an abrupt halt in universities through the country. “I get
Nothing could be further from the
the late 80s and 90s as a result of an a huge amount of feedback from these
truth. “I love what I do and need to be
inflation rate in Brazil which was run- trips”, he explained. “It really helps me
thoroughly involved in every aspect”,
to keep up to date”.
he explained. “I make sure that, no
He has also produced a large col-
matter how many books and comics
lection of Comics for a
we publish, I still read every word that
Cause which have been
goes out”.
distributed to more
than 70 million and,
For further information, contact
for the 100
th
anni-
MSP International.
versary of the Pan
Email: monicatoon@aol.com
American Health
www.monica.com.br
122
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