Il Grande Blek #1 2009 Turkish Comic Turkey EsseGesse Teksas

Teksas – Issue #1 – “İşkence Direği / Mağaraların Sırrı” – Turkish Edition, Milliyet Gazetesi (2009)

Description:

This comic is Issue #1 from the Teksas series distributed by Milliyet Gazetesi in 2009. The series consisted of nine issues and was released as a promotional newspaper supplement rather than a retail comic publication. Each issue was given as a free bonus alongside the newspaper and was not sold separately.

Although the character is widely known in Turkey under the name Teksas, the original Italian series is titled Il Grande Blek. First published in Italy on October 3, 1954 by Editoriale Dardo, the comic was created by the famous artistic trio Giovanni Sinchetto, Dario Guzzon, and Pietro Sartoris, collectively known as EsseGesse. Their work became one of the defining examples of post-war Italian adventure comics.

The series is set during the American Revolutionary War and follows the adventures of Blek, a powerful frontiersman and leader of a group of trappers fighting against British colonial forces, commonly represented in the stories as the oppressive Redcoats. The narrative combines frontier adventure, guerrilla warfare, and heroic resistance, which contributed to the character’s lasting popularity across several European countries and particularly in Turkey.

This issue includes two adventure stories titled “İşkence Direği” and “Mağaraların Sırrı,” continuing the classic frontier narratives centered around Blek and his companions as they confront enemies, explore dangerous territories, and resist British forces. Like many Turkish editions of the character published over the decades, this version was printed in black and white, reflecting the production standards typically used for newspaper promotional comics.

For collectors, the Milliyet Gazetesi Teksas series represents an interesting example of how classic comic characters continued to be reintroduced to new generations of readers through newspaper promotions. Despite being distributed for free, the limited nine-issue run and the ephemeral nature of newspaper supplements make surviving copies increasingly collectible within the context of Turkish comic publishing.

Key Features:

• Series: Teksas (Milliyet Gazetesi Promotional Edition)

• Issue: Issue #1

• Included Stories: İşkence Direği; Mağaraların Sırrı

• Original Series: Il Grande Blek

• Original Creators: Giovanni Sinchetto, Dario Guzzon, and Pietro Sartoris (EsseGesse)

• Original Publisher: Editoriale Dardo

• First Appearance of Series: October 3, 1954

• Publisher: Milliyet Gazetesi

• Publication Year: 2009

• Language: Turkish

• Printing: Black and white

• Distribution Method: Free promotional comic distributed with newspaper

• Series Scope: 9 issues published

• Historical Context: Classic Italian Western comic set during the American Revolutionary War

• Collector Appeal: Newspaper promotional Turkish edition featuring the iconic Il Grande Blek character widely known in Turkey as Teksas