Ozge Samanci’s Graphic Novel EVIL EYES SEA Wins the CCS Cartoonist Studio Prize!
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.Â
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.Â
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.”
“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,” says Samanci’s publisher at Uncivilized Books, Tom Kaczynski.Â
Praise for Evil Eyes Sea:Â
A The Guardian Best Graphic Novel of the Year
An American Library Association Graphic Novel and Comics Roundtable Best Graphic Novel of the Year
“Try as they might, Ece and Meltem, students in 1990s Istanbul, can’t get over the underwater accident they witnessed. Wrangling with the misogyny of college life aÂnd the chain of an upcoming election, eventually, they realize that maybe they shouldn’t.”—The New York Times
“Two Istanbul students investigate the death of a friend who plunged into the Bosphorus in a Cadillac. It’s a fine mix of Tintin-style adventure and social commentary, complete with smelly dorm rooms, puffed-up gangsters, and scuba diving.”—The Guardian
“It’s a book that’s never quite what you expect, and its power as a narrative is not of a sudden explosion, but of a quiet storm.”—The Comics Journal
“In this rambunctious murder mystery set in 1990s Turkey, Samancı contrasts a playful and vibrant visual style with deadly serious themes.”—Publishers Weekly
“As entertaining as it is exposing, Samanci’s sophomore title is an exquisite, multilayered showpiece confronting gender inequity, religious manipulations, political corruption, and the gray zones of morals and ethics—gray zones necessary for survival.”—Booklist, starred review
“Evil Eyes Sea is a work that turns its powerful, Medusa-like gaze on womanhood, corruption, and moral responsibility while still being an entertaining, fast-paced read. Taking the plunge into its watery depths is a rewarding experience.”—The Third Coast Review
“As one might expect from Samanci, it is still really fun and funny, while treating its serious subjects with dignity.”—Women Write about Comics
About Ozge Samanci:Â
Ozge Samanci is a media artist, graphic novelist, and Associate Professor at Northwestern University. She received her Ph.D. in Digital Media from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2009. In 2017, Samanci received the Berlin Prize, and was the Holtzbrinck Visual Arts Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin. The author of the graphic novels Dare to Disappoint and Evil Eyes Sea, she lives in Chicago.Â
About Uncivilized Books:Â
Uncivilized Books is a boutique comics publishing house based in Minneapolis, MN. Their graphic novels include works by Gabrielle Bell, Sophia Foster-Diminio, Kevin Huizenga, Julia Wertz, and K. Wroten.Â
