Evil Eyes Sea
The Best Graphic Novels of 2024, The Guardian
Best Graphic Novels for Adults 2024, American Library Association
Cartoonist Studio Prize Winner, 2025
A feminist political mystery set in Istanbul during the 1995 elections tells the story of two broke students who witnessed an unusual death on a scuba diving expedition. As the case deepens, they become increasingly entangled with political corruption, religious pressure, and possibly murder.
They try to return to their every day, but their lives are increasingly entangled with the political corruption, religious pressure, and economic instability that results from their experience. Samanci says, "The autobiographically-inspired story I tell in Evil Eyes Sea emerged from my college years in Istanbul, my quirky friends, and my struggles with being a young woman in Turkey's male-centric culture. In this book, I share a window into a country where narrow political views limit personal power — a place that can be beautiful, but also cruel."