| Birth Date: | 1 January 1932 |
| Birth Place: | Çiçekdağı, Kırşehir, Turkey |
| Death Place: | Istanbul, Turkey |
| Area: | Artist |
| Notable Works: | Karaoğlan Son Osmanlı Yandım Ali |
Suat Yalaz (1 January 1932 - 2 March 2020) was a Turkish comic book artist, foremost known as the creator of the character Karaoğlan. He has also produced films based on his creation.[1]
Graduated from Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts, Yalaz began working as a cartoonist in Turkish press and his chef d'œuvre Karaoğlan began to be published in the daily Akşam in 1962, later to be published as a comics magazine by 1963.
In 1970, Yalaz settled in France where he created two French language Arab adaptations/spinoffs of Karaoğlan; Changor (1971) for Éditions de Lutèce[2] and Kébir (or Kébir l'invincible; first series 1971 - 1975, second series 1975 - 1977) for Société Française de Presse Illustrée, which were destined for Maghreb readers and had considerable reception particularly in Algeria. He also created the Western comics series Ringo (1971 - 1972) and Sony (1972 - 1974) for Société Française de Presse Illustrée.[3]
Between 1979 and 1981 Yalaz used the pseudonym Gi-Toro for two magazines (Détective Strictement Privé and Super Flic) featuring the popular private investigator character Pat Magnum. A prolific comic book creator, he has also written and drawn a large number of adult comics and erotic comics,[4] particularly in the 1980s under the same pseudonym (sometimes as Jimmy Toro) for several French magazines, which include African Love (re-released in series Sex Negros and Eros Negro), Emma (Anna from 1980 to 1982), Futurella, Kora, Lady Sex, Lovisex, Sadissimo, Satanika, Satarella, and Sylvia.[5]
In 2002 he was named Turkish cartoonist of the year.[6] He wrote the comic that was adapted into the film Son Osmanlı Yandım Ali in 2006. His later work involved the script for a new Karaoğlan film planned for release in 2013.[7]