Turkish comics were introduced to the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the form of satirical cartoons along with modern journalism. From then on, comic strips and cartoons (karikatür in Turkish) in newspapers and humor magazines, which typically deliver political or social messages, have been the mainstay of comics in Turkey. Comics conveying longer narratives (çizgi roman, literary "picture story") are often regarded as children's reading material. Comic book production has not been an established industry in Turkey, presumably overshadowed by foreign publications mainly from the U.S., Italy, or France.

Some argue that the development of Turkish comics has been impeded by the lack of a prehistory of portraiture, stemming from the Islamic prohibition on idolatry, which has persisted to the present day. It is worth noting that the Ottoman Empire did have a tradition of miniature painting that has narrative elements. While some contend that this tradition served as the foundation of Turkish comics, others argue that it was merely illustrations accompanying manuscript texts and thus lacks a direct connection to modern cartooning.

Modern cartoons flowed in as satirical cartoons in the pages of newspapers and magazines that the Ottomans adopted from the West during the Tanzimat period (1839–1876), a time when Westernization was actively promoted across various sectors of society. Early satirical cartoonists appropriated traditional shadow-play characters, Karagöz and Hacivat, who had long been integral to the satirical culture of the Turkish common people. However, with a literacy rate of less than 10% during this period, access to publishing media was limited to the elite. Satirical magazines often faced repression due to criticism of the regime. Diyojen, the pioneering Ottoman satirical magazine founded by newspaper editor Teodor Kasap [tr], was one of the repressed. The reign of Abdülhamit II brought thirty years of backlash where critical journalism and cartooning were prohibited. The subsequent Second Constitutional Era (1908–1918) saw a resurgence of satirical cartoons. Prominent among the cartoonists of this period was Cemil Cem, who adopted a realistic, three-dimensional drawing style of the West, as well as captions accompanying the cartoons.

During World War I and the War of Independence, cartoonists from various political factions fought each other through their works in numerous short-lived magazines. A few magazines managed to endure the political turmoil, including Karagöz (1908–1951), which retained the tastes of 19th century satirical magazines, and Akbaba (1922–1977), which supported the sultanate government. These magazines continued to be published into the subsequent democratic era.

With the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, newspapers and magazines targeting the general public began to proliferate. They featured humorous pieces in a format akin to present-day cartoons. Due to the popularization of readership, as well as government suppression of regime criticism, more and more works focused on daily life and social conditions instead of political satire. Notable cartoonists of this era include Cemal Nadir Güler, Ramiz Gökçe [tr], and Sururi Gümen. Güler, not hailing from the intellectual elite, pioneered a stylized cartoonish approach that diverged from the conventions of Western art, gaining popularity among the common people. One of Güler's creations, Amcabey [tr], an Istanbul gentleman, emerged as one of Turkey's earliest cartoon characters and attained national prominence. Gökçe, famed for his depictions of women and a rival figure to Güler, created Tombul Teyze ("buxom auntie"), who became a beloved figure among male readers of the time.

In around 1935, amidst the wave of Westernization under the regime of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, there was a surge in the popularity of American comic strips such as The Phantom, Mickey Mouse, Flash Gordon, and Tarzan in newspapers and magazines aimed at children. As anti-capitalist and anti-American groups opposed allowing children to read these comics, their settings and ideologies were modified. Main characters' names and appearances were altered to Turkish equivalents, while villains remained foreign. 1001 Roman, the first comic magazine launched in 1939, became the most successful publication of its kind. However, the onset of World War II made it challenging to import new U.S. works. Concerns about the rapid Americanization also contributed to a decline in comics publishing. Nonetheless, it was during this period that young cartoonists, such as Suat Yalaz, Faruk Geç [tr], and Şahap Ayhan, who had previously emulated foreign works began creating their own comics.

The era between 1955 and 1975 is often considered to be the golden age of Turkish comics. The republican regime implemented reforms in writing and art education, fostering an environment where artists could freely engage in creative pursuits. Once Republican People's Party ended its one-party dictatorship in 1950, restrictions on journalism were temporarily loosened, paving the way for the emergence of the so-called "50s generation" of cartoonists. Among those were Turhan Selçuk, Semih Balcıoğlu [tr], and Selma Emiloğul, the latter gaining attention as a young female cartoonist.

As Turkey largely aligned with the Free World, Turkish comics strongly reflected Western influence after World War II. Newspapers serialized Western comic strips to boost their circulations. U.S. strips such as Blondie, Bringing Up Father, and Beetle Bailey gained prominence. In 1951, a solo comic book title featuring the western hero Pecos Bill from Italian comics became a 40,000-copy hit. It was followed by similar successes with works like Tex, Kinowa, and Zagor. Captain Miki, renamed "Tomix" in the Turkish version, became a favorite among children. From the late 1950s to the 1960s, there was an influx of French/Belgian comics (bande dessinée) such as Lucky Luke and Asterix. The popularity of titles like Tintin prompted the publication of unlicensed local versions. American superhero comics such as Superman initially garnered little interest and only gained popularity decades later, following the rise of superhero films.