Comic superheroes re-imagined as Ottoman Empire figures

"Ottoman was Geeky," a fanciful series of illustrations by Berk Senturk. Above, Justice League as Fevc-ül Adâlet.

Boing Boing editor/partner and tech culture journalist Xeni Jardin hosts and produces Boing Boing's in-flight TV channel on Virgin America airlines (#10 on the dial), and writes about living with breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2011. @xeni on Twitter. email: xeni@boingboing.net.

MORE: art • Comics • illustration

More at Boing Boing

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

Hackers prepare for first "national holiday" in their honor

http://www.facebook.com/clesoine Charlie Lesoine

Superman, Hulk, Green Lantern, Batman and???
- Ashen Victor
  
  Wonder woman (the woman), the flash (the one with the silly hat), martian manhunter (the green one) and aquaman (the one with the trident).
  - Boundegar
    
    I’m glad somebody can make sense of this, it goes right over my head. Except I did figure out Superman.
    - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1803358358 Christopher Specker
      
      Batman’s wearing his symbol around his neck. That should give it away if the utility belt doesn’t.
      - Boundegar
        
        Aha! I see it I see it!
    - Brainspore
      
      Especially the green guy with the lantern. What am I, a cryptographer?
- Michael Rosefield
  
  Hulk? HULK?!
  
  You are a bad Charlie!
- SumAnon
  
  From the left:
  Aquaman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, The Flash, Martian Manhunter.
  
  Jeez, and I’m a girl who doesn’t read comics…
  - Quiche de Resistance
    
    “I’m a girl…”
  - Quiche de Resistance
    
    “…who doesn’t read comics”
Michael Rosefield

(Although The Hulk does get shown later… right above Han Solo and Chewbacca)
http://www.facebook.com/clesoine Charlie Lesoine

It’s not the hulk??? Dude is green…and tall…I dunno
- Brainspore
  
  HULK NO MAKE APPEARANCES IN JUSTICE LEAGUE EXCEPT MAYBE FOR SPECIAL MARVEL/DC CROSSOVER ISSUE.
Halloween_Jack

This stands head and shoulders above most of the [random nerd trope] versions of superheroes because the artist not only seems to know the style of clothes during the Ottoman period, but also imitates the artistic style of the era.
- blueelm
  
  This is actually brilliant. To be honest I would totally read a genuinely Ottoman Empire based series with art like this.
snagglepuss

“The Green Fez” – VERY nice.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YO27RCRORLE66EJXIZU27VSQTU Mulayim

This is excellent. But that “All characters in this series are just fictitious and does not reflect to any person alive or dead or any political person.” message is a bit misleading. Superman (Faik-i Adem) is clearly inspired by somewhat famous photo of Atatürk; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Ataturk_Janissary.jpg
Aquaman as Ab-ı Adem is also inspired by Western depictions of Hayreddin Barbarossa. Even the crest on his turban is taken from Hayreddin’s flag; http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BarbarosSancagi.svg&page=1
Martian Manhunter as Merihi Sayyad-ı Beser is just Turkish version of ghoul, gulyabani. Here is one depicted in a 1976 Turkish movie, Süt Kardesler (aka The Foster Brothers); http://galeri3.uludagsozluk.com/173/s%C3%BCt-karde%C5%9Fler-filmindeki-gulyabani_216903.jpg
Don’t get me wrong, the concepty and the execution is incredible. I especially loved Batman as Sepbere-i Adem and the way he carries a muska with Batman symbol on it. Most rogues used to carry muskas which they believed to ward off evil eye and/or spells and give good luck.
- Boundegar
  
  An artwork based on a photograph? Somebody call Shepard Fairey, quick!
Cemil Karakullukcu

Reminds me of Marvel 1602
http://www.facebook.com/marko.raos Marko Raos

“Taxi Driver” is more believable than DeNiro in that movie. :)
Gene Shepler

Aquaman would sink like a stone in that get-up & poor Wonderwoman would get stoned to death if she tied up a MAN with her lasso.