There are a lot of different ways a Sesame Street comic book could go, particularly one coming out from Oni Press. Writer Joey Esposito and artist Austin Baechle could have delivered a dark reinvention of the property, a la Dark Horse Comics’ Survival Street. Alternately they could have delivered an activity book that is more something to keep kids busy than a comic. Instead, what this team laudably does is present something that could only exist in comic book form, and works swimmingly as a segment that could appear on the classic children’s show.
The plot is pretty simple, as you might expect. Grover is trying to celebrate the day, but instead, everyone is busy with their own problems. Ultimately, he figures out a solution that makes everyone happy, by working together.
Perhaps the most underrated aspect of Sesame Street is that it’s a Jim Henson Company show, filled with Muppets, and therefore usually pretty funny. It’s not quite as anarchist as The Muppet Show, but all that learning about cooperation wouldn’t get through to kids and adults without a healthy sense of humor. That’s what Esposito realizes with his story, and through both what the characters are trying to achieve (The Count, for example, is trying to count every leaf on a tree) and how Grover solves the problems is adorable and hilarious.
And Baechle ably assists Esposito in this task. His characters are bright and clear, and the settings are fun… It’s a welcoming take that splits the difference between the classic Monster at the End of this Book and a children’s comic.
Ultimately, this is pretty much the perfect execution you’d want from a Sesame Street comic book. You can read it to a kid, let them read it themselves, or keep it for you if you’re a Sesame Street-loving adult. It’s a delightful kick-off to this series, which will have rotating writing and art teams. And best of all, if you buy a copy, you can always share it with as many people as possible. After all, that’s what Grover would want.
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Stroll along Sesame Street and join Grover, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and more of your favorite furry friends in this brand-new comic book series for readers of all ages! Grover wakes up to another beautiful day on Sesame Street! But he soon discovers that his friends each have a problem to solve before they can enjoy it. Read along in this brand-new comic book as Grover does what he does best: lends a helping hand. After all, the most fun on Sesame Street comes from working together!
