Literature Review:
Abdullah Turhan, the illustrator of the famous comic book hero “Kara Murat”, also known for his comic series “Tolga”, and Suat Yalaz, the writer, screenwriter, director and illustrator of “Karaoğlan”, which was first published on April 1, 1963 and is one of the longest-running works in the history of Turkish comics, died on the same day.
Who is Abdullah Turhan?
Abdullah Turhan was born in 1933 in Akçaabat district of Trabzon.
Turhan, who started painting and comics in 1954 by winning the painter exam opened by Yeni Sabah newspaper, learned the intricacies of this art from cartoonist and illustrator Ratip Tahir Burak.
The unforgettable character “Kara Murat”, drawn by Turhan and whose story belongs to Rahmi Turan, was first published in Günaydın newspaper in 1971.
The comic book series of the character, which was also transferred to the big screen with the 1972 movie “Kara Murat Fatih’in Fedaisi”, in which Cüneyt Arkın played the role of “Kara Murat”, was published every week since January 3, 1974 and met with the reader for 946 issues.
The master illustrator drew in the magazine ‘Şen Çocuk’ in 1956.
Turhan, who joined the illustrator staff of journalist and writer Safa Kılıçlıoğlu’s Pazar magazine in 1957, took part in the magazine until 1960 with his detective work “Cani Peşinde”.
Another unforgettable cartoon character of Abdullah Turhan, “Tolga”, was first published in 1969 in 1001 Roman magazine. The script of all Tolga’s adventures was written by Turhan.
Turhan, who brought the historical comic book heroes named “Kara Batur” and “Alptekin” to the comic book world, drew the adventures of a sword-wielding hero from the Ottoman period named “Deryalar Delisi” and “Umur Bey” in 1979. Illustrator Turhan also presented three different Tolga series to the reader in a weekly period in 1971, 1973 and 1983.
The successful illustrator illustrated the children’s comic novel “Novice Explorers Hattusa’s Sun” in 2015.
In one of the interviews he gave, Abdullah Turhan complained about the lack of interest in comics and made the following reproach:
Today, you can no longer find comics in newspapers; Because there is no interest left. However, comics still attract attention as a big industry in European countries and the USA. There, the illustrator, writer and even the balloon articles are prepared by different teams.
The master illustrator, who did not break away from the line in his last days, explained his closeness with Kara Murat with the following words:
Now I don’t make comics anymore. However, in order to pass the time and cheer up, I draw the cartoon-like comic of ‘Kara Murat’ in color. I do watercolor works. So I’m not idle.
Who is Suat Yalaz?
Suat Yalaz was born in 1932 in the Çiçekdağ district of Kırşehir. The first cartoon of Yalaz, who lived and studied in different cities throughout his childhood due to his family’s job, which was a civil servant, was published in the Erciyes Postası newspaper when he was only 16 years old.
The master illustrator, who revealed a character that all of Turkey cannot forget with Karaoğlan, also signed “The Last Ottoman: Yandım Ali”, which was also transferred to the cinema.
While successfully completing the Painting Department of the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, Yalaz met important illustrators such as Bedri Koraman and Çetin Özkırım and managed to impress the important masters of the period with his talent.
In 2006, the General Directorate of PTT issued a 4-series stamp collection in the name of Karaoğlan. Thus, Suat Yalaz became the third comic book artist in the history of the republic to be honored by the state by carrying the cartoon hero he created on a stamp, after the great artist Cemal Nadir Güler’s Amcabey and Turhan Selçuk’s Abdülcanbaz.
Some of the films directed or produced by Suat Yalaz and whose scripts he wrote are as follows:
The Last Ottoman Burned Ali”, “Valiant from Altai / Karaoğlan”, “Camoka’s Revenge”, “Baybora’s Son”, “Byzantine Zorba”, “Karaoğlan Green Dragon”, “Devil’s Cage”, “Camoka’s Return”, “Karaoğlan Sheikh’s Daughter”, “Treasures of Genghis Khan”, “Valiant from Altai / Karaoğlan”, “Devil’s Cage”, “Karaoğlan’s Brother Sargan.
Karaoğlan, which was serialized for the first time in Akşam Newspaper on January 3, 1962, before becoming a magazine, was published in 1963 as a weekly historical comic book magazine written and drawn by Suat Yalaz. The magazine, which was republished by different publishing houses in different periods, met with the reader once again in the 2000s.
Significance of Study
Kara Murat: Judge of the Seas, Kara Murat: Fatih’s Bouncer or Kara Murat: Death Order are some of the productions included in the famous movie series. The Kara Murat series, in which Cüneyt Arkın gives unforgettable performances, contains some of the most productions of Turkish cinema. Abdullah Turan is the name that gave life to the character of Kara Murat, created by journalist and writer Rahmi Turan, with his drawings. The first adventure of this talented warrior was published in Günaydın newspaper in 1971.
The creator of Kara Murat is Rahmi Turan, who was the Editor-in-Chief of Günaydın Newspaper at that time. However, he used the pseudonym Rahmi Muratoğlu in the work. The visual creator of Kara Murat is Abdullah Turhan.
A total of 21 adventures of Kara Murat were published in Günaydın Newspaper from 1971 to 1988, not counting the re-adventures published under different names. 20 of these adventures were drawn by Abdullah Turhan. After Abdullah Turhan parted ways with Rahmi Turan, Kara Murat’s last adventure, The She-Devil, was drawn by Süleyman Gök.
Except for the adventure of the She-Devil drawn by Süleyman Gök mentioned above, Kara Murat’s adventures drawn by various painters in Günaydın, Burada, Meydan, Gözcü and finally in Sözcü Newspaper, where it was published, are in the form of an exact copy of the adventures of Kara Murat, which Abdullah Turhan had previously illustrated. It has no original and creative side.
Kara Murat’s first adventure, which was published in Günaydın, attracted such great attention that within 1 month, the film rights were purchased by producer Türker İnanoğlu for 25,000 liras with the money of that time.
In the following process, Kara Murat met with the readers for the first time in color on Wednesday, January 30, 1974, this time in 16-page magazine format. Kara Murat magazine is published continuously on Wednesdays for 946 weeks. Finally, it bids farewell to its readers with the issue published on March 11, 1992.
Turkish Consortium Archive – DayDreamin’ Comics
