Le Vieux Nick et Barbe-Noire - Dans la gueule du dragon 1970 Turkish Comic Turkey

Afacan – Volume 1 – “Canavarın Ağzında” (Le Vieux Nick et Barbe-Noire - Dans la gueule du dragon) – Turkish Edition (1970)

Description:

This comic is Volume 1 from the Afacan series, a Turkish comic publication released in 1970 by Yaşar and Coşar Şilliler. The series consisted of four volumes published during the same year and was part of the wave of locally adapted European comics that appeared in Turkey during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Like many Turkish comic publications of the period, Afacan relied on adapted material from European comic series. The interior artwork was reproduced using tracing paper techniques, where the original illustrations were carefully retraced and printed in black and white. The original publications were produced in full color, but for the Turkish edition the artwork was simplified into monochrome printing. In addition, the translations were often not strictly faithful to the original stories, with character names, locations, and certain narrative details modified to better suit local audiences.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the series is its cover artwork. Instead of reproducing the original European covers, the Afacan volumes feature newly illustrated covers created by Turkish artists. Because of this, each volume presents unique cover art produced specifically for the Turkish market, making the series particularly appealing to collectors interested in regional comic adaptations and alternative visual interpretations of classic European characters.

Volume 1 presents the Turkish adaptation of the story “Dans la gueule du dragon” from the Belgian comic series Le Vieux Nick et Barbe-Noire, originally published as issue #6 of the series. Created by Marcel Remacle for Spirou magazine, Le Vieux Nick et Barbe-Noire (Old Nick and Blackbeard) is a long-running Belgian comic series that debuted in 1958 and continued until 1990. Set in the 18th century, the stories follow the clever and resourceful sailor Old Nick as he repeatedly outwits the infamous pirate Blackbeard. The series is known for combining slapstick humor with adventurous sea voyages, pirate confrontations, and comedic misfortune.

For collectors, this Turkish adaptation provides an interesting glimpse into how classic Franco-Belgian adventure comics were introduced to Turkish readers during the early decades of the country’s comic publishing history. The combination of locally produced cover artwork, adapted storytelling, and the distinctive tracing-based printing method makes the Afacan series a notable example of regional comic publishing practices of the era.

Key Features:

• Series: Afacan

• Volume: Volume 1

• Title: Canavarın Ağzında

• Source Series: Le Vieux Nick et Barbe-Noire

• Original Story: Dans la gueule du dragon (originally published as issue #6)

• Original Creator: Marcel Remacle

• Publisher: Yaşar ve Coşar Şilliler

• Publication Year: 1970

• Language: Turkish

• Printing: Black and white (adapted from original color artwork)

• Production Method: Artwork retraced using tracing paper from original illustrations

• Cover Art: Newly illustrated by Turkish artists

• Series Scope: 4 volumes published in 1970

• Collector Appeal: Turkish adaptation of a classic Spirou pirate adventure comic with unique locally illustrated cover art