Oğuz Aral

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Oğuz Aral (1936 - July 26, 2004) was a Turkish political cartoonist.

Born in Silivri, Istanbul, he founded the cartoon magazine Gırgır (Fun) with his brother Tekin Aral, and created such characters as "Avanak Avni" (Avni the Gullible), "Kostebek Hüsnü" (Hüsnü the Mole), "Utanmaz Adam" (the Shameless Man), "En kahraman Ridvan" (Ridvan the Bravest), and "Vites Hüsnü" (Hüsnü the Gearbox). GırGır was one of the best selling cartoon magasines in Europe in the 1970s with nearly a million copy a week.

Called the "godfather" of Turkish cartoonists, Aral mentored scores of young artists, helping them publish their comics. Girgir, known to be outstandingly critical of all social ills, was banned after the 1980 military coup, but Oguz Aral's cartoons still ran in the newspaper Hürriyet until his death in Bodrum. He is survived by a son.