Purificación "Purita" Campos Sánchez (18 August 1937 – 19 November 2019) was a Spanish cartoonist, illustrator and painter best known for her work in girls' comics. Born in Barcelona, she became widely recognised for stories that combined fashion-aware illustration with gentle, character-driven narratives. Her art reached audiences in Spain and the United Kingdom and remains associated with the popular teen and girls' comic tradition of the 1970s and 1980s.

Campos's visual style emphasised expressive figures, clear line work and carefully rendered everyday settings. She favoured layouts and compositions that highlighted emotion and interpersonal dynamics, often dressing characters in contemporary fashions that helped her strips double as both narrative and style reference. In addition to sequential art, she worked as an illustrator and painter, producing standalone images and covers that showcased her command of color and form.

Career and major works

Campos began publishing comics for Spanish houses such as Bruguera, where she drew the character Lily, before reaching international markets. Around 1970 she launched a long-running series known in Spain as Esther y su mundo, and marketed in English-language editions as Patty's World. From 1971 she produced material for British magazines and in 1974 she created the character Tina for the girls' weekly Princess Tina. These serialized strips were published over years and translated for several countries, helping establish her reputation outside Spain.

Notable works and contributions included:

  • Esther y su mundo (Patty's World) — a long-running teen series mixing everyday drama and light comedy
  • Tina — character and strips produced for Princess Tina magazine
  • Illustrations and covers for Bruguera and other publishers, and various standalone paintings

Her comics are remembered for their focus on young women's experiences, sympathetic characterization and accessible storytelling. While marketed to a female readership, Campos's work has been praised for its craftsmanship and for helping define the visual language of European girls' comics during its heyday.

Later in life she continued to paint and exhibit, and to appear at festivals and conventions where readers and collectors celebrated her work. Purita Campos died in Madrid on 19 November 2019 at the age of 82. Her strips remain an important part of Spain's comic heritage and continue to be reprinted and discussed by enthusiasts of classic comics and illustration.