Renowned cartoonist, author and academic Ġorġ Mallia, who was the head of the Department of Media and Communications at the University of Malta, has passed away at the age of 68.

Mr Mallia has published books of fiction for children, which he has also illustrated, as well as books of experimental short stories. His Pullu book series for young children was first published in 2000, but remains popular today.

He has produced comic strips, such as One Family in The Sunday Times between 1993 and 2008, among others such as Żepp.

He was also a co-editor and producer for Sagħtar, a children’s magazine, and is a former chairman of Malta’s National Book Council.

On social media, Mallia has also published tribute cartoons to prominent people who passed away, his latest about the recently deceased Norman Hamilton.

As head of the communications course at the University of Malta, he was a mentor for many students, and had a love for the media.

His passion for his work was visible for all to see. On his personal website, he wrote: “Media is my life. I talk about it, I teach it, I do it.”

The team at Content House would like to express its condolences to his family and loved ones.