Akbaba 1969 Apollo 11 Moon Turkish Magazine Turkey The Moon Special Issue Space

Akbaba – “The Moon Special Issue: Pedestrian Crossing on the Moon” – July 23, 1969 – Turkish Edition

Description:

Akbaba was a prominent Turkish political satire and humor magazine founded in 1922 by Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon, two poets associated with the “Five Syllabists” (Beş Hececiler) literary movement. Despite interruptions in publication, it continued until 1977 and became one of the longest-running political satire magazines in Turkish press history. The magazine was known for its humorous illustrations and satirical commentary on political, social, and international events.

This issue, dated July 23, 1969, is a special edition titled “Fevkalâde Ay Sayısı” (Extraordinary Moon Issue), published to mark the historic Apollo 11 mission and the first crewed landing on the Moon. Its cover presents an imaginative cartoon in which a large pedestrian crossing and a traffic light have been installed on the lunar surface. Astronauts in spacesuits walk neatly across the crossing, humorously imagining how ordinary traffic rules might apply to humanity’s newest frontier.

In the lower-right corner, the caption “Yeşil yandı, geç...” (The light’s green, cross...) adds to the joke. By placing familiar street infrastructure on the Moon, the cartoon transforms a monumental technological achievement into an everyday scene, reflecting the playful imagination and topical humor characteristic of Akbaba.

Inside, the magazine contains numerous cartoons and written features related to the lunar landing. Together, these pieces capture the excitement surrounding Apollo 11 and show how the historic mission inspired Turkish cartoonists and writers to explore the cultural and humorous implications of space exploration.

For collectors of vintage Turkish humor magazines, Apollo-era memorabilia, and space exploration publications, this special issue offers a distinctive record of the public fascination with the first Moon landing. Its unusual lunar traffic cartoon, memorable caption, and additional Apollo-related content make it an appealing example of Akbaba’s late-1960s satire.

Key Features:

• Title: Akbaba

• Publication Date: July 23, 1969

• Edition: “Fevkalâde Ay Sayısı” (Extraordinary Moon Issue)

• Language: Turkish

• Founders: Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon

• Publication Format: Political satire and humor magazine

• Main Subject: Apollo 11 and the first crewed Moon landing

• Cover Illustration: Astronauts crossing a pedestrian crossing on the Moon beside a traffic light

• Cover Caption: “Yeşil yandı, geç...” (The light’s green, cross...)

• Main Topics: Lunar exploration; Apollo 11; space-age humor

• Additional Content: Multiple cartoons and articles about the Moon landing

• Historical Context: Published shortly after the Apollo 11 lunar landing in July 1969

• Collector Appeal: Special Turkish humor magazine issue commemorating the first crewed Moon landing through imaginative cartoons and contemporary commentary