Turhan Selçuk’s 98th Birthday

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Istanbul-based guest artist M.K. Perker, commemorates the 98th birthday of iconic Turkish cartoonist, artist, and satirist Turhan Selçuk, a celebrated pioneer of the contemporary Turkish comic strip. Wielding a minimalist style of line art infused with acute wit, Selçuk masterminded one of the country’s first and most famous original comic book characters, Abdülcanbaz, who is depicted riding a bike in today’s Doodle artwork. 

Turhan Selçuk was born on this day in 1922 in the ancient Turkish city of Milas. While still a high school student in 1941, he published some of his first illustrations in the newspaper Türk Sözü (The Turkish Word) and saw continued success with his work throughout the decade. 

As the chief illustrator for the Yeni Istanbul (New Istanbul), he honed his artistic style and championed the belief that cartoons were a universal medium of storytelling. In 1954, he took the same position at Milliyet, an Istanbul-based daily national newspaper that three years later became the home for Selçuk’s definitive, postmodern comic series “The Adventures of Abdülcanbaz.” Across a nearly three-decade run, the angular hero Abdülcanbaz, also known as the “Istanbul Gentleman,” traveled around the world and even through time to fight injustice and help the powerless. 

In 1969, Selçuk co-founded the Turkish Cartoonists Association to educate young cartoonists and promote the medium around the world. He received numerous awards throughout his almost seventy-year career and was the first Turkish cartoonist to be awarded internationally.

Guest Artist Q&A with M.K. Perker

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Istanbul-based guest artist M.K. Perker. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:
 

Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? 

A: Turhan was a big inspiration for me when I started my career as an illustrator 30 years ago. Later on, we worked in the same newspaper before I moved to New York. I used to go to the archives of the paper and study his old cartoons. So it is very personal and emotional for me. 
 

 Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?

A: After I moved back to Istanbul from New York, I had an exhibition at the house he was born in, which had become a museum. So I thought this came to full circle for me now.
 

 Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A: I wanted to celebrate his birthday anniversary by celebrating his creations. Also as a mainly black and white artist myself, I wanted to emphasize his talent of creating a very colorful universe by using only black and white artwork.
 

 Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: As an artist, the only real inspiration you need is to know that there are other artists out there to inspire you.

Early concepts and sketches of the Doodle