Ozge Samanci‘s much-lauded autobiographically-inspired graphic novel Evil Eyes Sea has received the prestigious Cartoonist Studio Prize, given by the Center for Cartoon Studies. The thirteenth annual prize has recognized Samanci’s graphic novel from acclaimed publisher Uncivilized Books as 2024’s best long-form comic. 

CCS says about the book:

The book’s greatest strengths lie in its originality and voice. The tone balances wit and melancholy with remarkable ease. The artwork is expressive and the cartooning inventive. At times, the story flirts with familiar tropes, but always on its own terms—eschewing highbrow convention for something more emotionally direct. Samanci has created a heartfelt, captivating work that deserves wider attention.

In Evil Eyes Sea, Samanci writes a feminist political mystery set in Istanbul during the 1995 elections telling the story of two broke students who witnessed an unusual death on a scuba diving expedition. As the case deepens, they become increasingly entangled with religious pressure, and possible murder and political corruption that echoes the events of contemporary America. They try to return to their every day, but their lives are increasingly entangled with the chaos, trauma, and economic instability that results from their experience. 

Author Ozge Samanci says:

Evil Eyes Sea is about political dread and the rise of authoritarianism, but it’s also a story of friendship, magical realism, honesty, and absurd moments of youth. Blending fiction with autobiography helped me tell a dark story in a humorous and lighthearted way. Graphic novels take years to create, and this recognition from the CCS community means the world to me.

Uncivilized Books’ publisher Tom Kaczynski said:

Evil Eyes Sea‘s propulsive and—dare I say, action-packed—comic book storytelling stood out to me when I first read it. Foreign locales, friendship, murder mystery, and political intrigue; it’s all there and then some. Ozge’s European TinTin-esque sensibility blended with American autobiographical influences is a real treat for comics readers. 

You can get it now from Bookshop, Amazon, your local comic shop and bookstore, and more.