Survival Street

Survival Street #1-4

by James Asmus, Jim Festante, Abylay Kussainov (Illustrator)

Survival Street is a unrepentant action satire tearing through a corporate-dominated dystopia.

After an unbridled wave of corporations take over America, the country is left completely deregulated and effectively carved up into feudal states where billionaires and businesses make their own laws. Among the wreckage, mass privatization shuts down public broadcasting forcing all the beloved edu-tainers out on the down and dirty streets. One group of them stick together, determined to keep helping kids across the country and do it by becoming an A-Team-esque band of mercenaries fighting for (and educating!) kids in the crumbling, corporate war zone of New Best America.

A candy coating of pop culture madness, humor, cartoonishly absurd hyper-violence, and just enough hope to keep holding on. Collects Survival Street #1-#4.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Humor

120 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2023

About the author

James began writing for live theater; creating sketch comedy, stand-up, plays and musicals. After a few years writing and performing in New Orleans and Chicago, a run of one his shows in New York garnered an offer to write for Marvel Comics' X-Men. A lifelong comics fan, James pounced on the opportunity and would go on to write Marvel titles like Uncanny X-Men, Captain America & Bucky, Gambit, Runaways, Generation Hope, Deadpool Team-Up and more.
His work for other comics publishers includes Thief of Thieves with Robert Kirkman (creator of the Walking Dead) and The End Times of Bram & Ben (which he co-created with Jim Festante) for Image Comics. In 2014 James signed a year-long exclusive deal with Valiant Entertainment where he wrote The Delinquents and Quantum & Woody - the latter of which received 6 nominations at the 2014 Harvey Awards; including Best Writer, Best New Talent, and Special Award for Humor noms for James.
He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Mara and son Devlin. There, James has written for film, television, and video games. But he plans to create comics as long as you'll have him.

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will not lie, I took a sharp intake of breath while requesting this title. Muppets/puppets doing dirty, grown-up things, is a genre that is rarely done well, in any media (with notable exceptions perhaps being Greg the Bunny and, recently, Randy Feltface).

But! This isn't bad. Yep, it's Sesame Street puppets doing dirty, grown-up things, but it's also a story about being a minority living in a dystopian nightmare state (aka America ha ha I'm joking, am I?), and trying to fight said state. I do feel it works best in the first half of the book, and becomes kind of repetitive in the second half.

The art works really well for this story.

(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)

[Estibaliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75?

Despite how colorful this graphic novel is, it's also as heavy as a ton of bricks when it comes to content. And don't get me wrong, I don't mean by that this is not a fun and enjoyable experience, but it is so in an extremely dark and grim sort of way.

Just go ahead and read the final note by the authors, and that will answer a lot of questions for you. Because, indeed, given the current state of affairs in this our modern world and/or country, what was supposed to be satire just seems to hit too close to home for some inconsequential fun. And, of course, art doesn't have to be inconsequential, but often the opposite; but still... HEAVY.

So, yes, I enjoyed it, but I'm also kind of happy this is it, and there won't be more puppets from Salutation Street in the future. Though... who knows for sure?

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very clever

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was ... umm ... weird? Incoherent. But moments of brilliance among pages of craziness. Some of the craziness was the puppets. Some of the craziness was the politics. But in a world where you have to double-check the story is not from the onion, it's not clear what craziness level to shoot for. This was readable and the art was fine. But it all was a bit too much. It just didn't make enough sense. Maybe if there was an explanation for creatures that looked like puppets but wasn't. Something. But whatever this was, it wasn't actually bad.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5) It’s crazy how a fictional story about puppets is insanely accurate to where our world is heading.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you thought this was gonna be subtle then you might not enjoy this. i knew going in this was very much gonna be in your face and i really enjoyed this.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars
Imagine a world controlled entirely by corporations. A world where humans are nothing more than commodities to be used until they’re dead. And a world where the "Sesame Street" gang acts as freedom fighters, fighting the good fight and protecting the innocent. That’s the basic premise behind "Survival Street". And it’s a great one. It’s just a shame the comic doesn’t really do anything with that premise.

While trying to make everything as absurd as possible, presumably to keep the story from being too depressing, the writers forget to keep the vast majority of the characters grounded enough for them to be relatable. Or, in fact, to give them much of a personality at all. There are a lot of backstories that get hinted at, but never properly explored. And so the characters end up feeling quite undefined - existing basically as obvious homages to other characters and not characters in their own right.

And the same is true for the plot, itself. All the pieces are there, but the comic just doesn't assemble them into a cohesive whole, nor does it spend any time truly delving into the ideas it brings up. Honestly, it feels like "Survival Street" wholly skips the first half of its story and jumps right into the deep end. And it makes for a really confusing, disorienting read. There’s little here to care about, and there’s little depth to be found in the very broad, surface-level satire. It often feels like the story’s aimless, heading nowhere in particular. And even when it finally seems to be heading towards a destination, it cops out on actually settling on a conclusion. It’s just the middle chapter of a story - but one without a beginning or an ending. And that's such a shame given how interesting some of its ideas are. But interesting ideas can only carry a story so far if it's unwilling to properly explore them.

Still, there’s some fun to be had here. The artwork is delightfully macabre, as is most of the plot. The action sequences are exceedingly cool, too - like something out of an '80s action movie. And there’s definitely a perverse joy in seeing these twisted versions of beloved childhood characters - especially given how little the book tries to hide its inspirations. But those small amounts of joy don’t really add up to anything particularly noteworthy. As it is, "Survival Street" is too fast-paced, too surface-level, and too noncommittal to be anything particularly memorable. It’s worth a read if you’re curious, but it didn’t really live up to my expectations.

Disclaimer: a review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very unsubtle satire about the Muppets becoming left wing freedom fighters. Surprisingly poignant and very on the nose without intending to be (literally their Dean Cain stand-in joins ICE which in real life happened like last week).

Seeing Oscar the Grouch throw Molotov's at rich people is just good stuff.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Obviously, with this kind of premise, you can't expect this comic to be apolitical, but maaaaan, Garth Ennis is more subtle! Hell, actual Sesame Street is more subtle, and that show's aimed at toddlers. Unless you're craving Far-Left propaganda/a tankie power fantasy, I suggest giving this one a skip. You'll like it if you're the kinda person who thinks liberals are right-wingers. Or believe tighter gun laws need to be put in place while also believing in the value of armed resistance.

[Owen Townend · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sharp and colourful satire on corporate, gun-toting America.

Survival Street turns the puppets you'd usually see teaching important life lessons in kindness and fair play into world-weary freedom fighters who have been displaced from their homes and marginalised by bare-faced racism.

That's right, in this book puppets are their own race, an allegory for all the ethnicities that Western greed have robbed and ruined. And yet Birdie, Herbert and the remaining cast of the cancelled, disregarded TV show 'Salutation Street' still care enough to fight the good fight. Though the right-wing media portrays them as terrorists, they persevere with the hope that someday the reckless greed that pervades this dystopian US can be beaten back so that basic human decency can be restored.

The cover may look silly but the contents are heartfelt and vital in this time of unchecked American power. By all means laugh at the thinly-veiled pastiches of NRA advocates and biased news broadcasts, but do not downplay Survival Streets messages about resistance. Yes, there will always be bullies and 'big dogs' kicking dirt in our faces but they can't stop the rest of us helping each other to get by and occasionally get the better of our oppressors.

Asmus and Festante's writing is intelligent and just the right kind of irreverent. Kussainov's artwork masterfully blends loving pastiche with madcap violence. I heartily recommend Survival Street to anyone who is so angry that they need to laugh and so overwhelmed that they're ready to learn.

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! I came in expecting zombie survival (admittedly because I didn’t read the back of the blurb) and instead got a fun action-packed late-stage capitalism dystopia. You can tell the author's opinion and the zany action it's all told in is so on the point it's almost to parody which fittingly works for the zany action. Don't come in for some deep story. But if you want to commiserate over capitalism and certain political points all in a very colorful, near tongue-in-cheek fashion (they admit to playing it all up while not trying to ignore or make light of the issues and they do it impeccably), and action movie package you'll enjoy this.
It's got a clear political edge and while it's very over the top it's not so much that it doesn't do the topics injustice. It also spends a great amount of time on immigration and how under stressful times and times of discrimination individuals can focus on themselves and hurt their community to keep themselves afloat which is a strong message. It's a bit of tread ground on that message that's done how it's been done before but it's a track not tread often so it's enjoyable to read still without feeling rote.
The art is great. It's got this angular punk edge. It’s fitting for the writing, action-heavy plot, and playfulish aesthetic for its coverage of topics.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

The level of cynical extrapolation in this book is like a brick wall of pessimism that smashes the reader almost from the first page. Countering it with the the cast of Sesame Street (by way of the Feebles) pushed beyond the brink to become vigilantes is just another layer of cynicism. The 'heroes' come face to face with barely satirical companies like Fox, organizations like the NRA, and generic capitalist strip-miners (surprisingly not much about oil & gas companies), and do a lot of violence, while still hoping their actions will make a difference.
As you can guess, it's a very dark book, but it does manage to be blackly humorous quite a bit. I think it could have used a little more introduction to the puppets before diving into the violence, but it works for the most part. The art is cartoonishly violent and provides a fair bit of karmic retribution to offer the readers some catharsis, and even a small glint of hope. But I've got to agree with the writer's post-script - read it now before it stops becoming satire.

[one9eighty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice art and good concept but slightly lacking in a continuing and cohert story from start to finish.

This is basically sesame street style puppets doing real world things, living in a future society where conglomerates and companies have the power and rule the world. The puppets are a minority who had their home, culture, and heritage destroyed. Most moved to follow the America dream, but most of those puppets also had their new way of life destroyed too. They are now forced into menial life's doing rubbish jobs for 'the man', or living a life of poverty and fear. A small group of puppets have formed a guerilla unit that try to right some wrongs.more often than not with extreme violence.

The story started good and I really liked the idea and the art work of violent puppets. The story wasn't that strong throughout though and seemed a little higgledy piggledy. I got bored quickly and had to force myself to the end rather than enjoy it throughout. 3/5

[Karrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best GNs I’ve read this year. Corporations have the same rights as people (or more), and Muppets are portrayed as a lower class of people. Muppets are said to have turned from child-loving teachers on Sesame St, into brainwashing your children and being “child lovers”, in a gross perverted way.

If people don’t like this, it’s because they share some POV that the WRA has, or I probably wouldn’t like them much in person.

It was fun but I had to read it in 4 separating chunks of time bc it was so right-on. I think all high school kids should read this. Gurgle (I think) was my absolute favorite:

“He has ALL the ice cream in the world, and we can’t ever afford it. He wants you to hate me for the spoonful I ate, instead of us asking why we ALL don’t have ice cream, because there’s more than enough of all of us”. 😈

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Survival Street is a painfully heavy-handed dystopic look at what would happen if all the right-wing nut jobs and corporate bigwigs got their craziest wishes granted, all at once. The absurdity is probably part of the point, but like, subtlety can be a smart choice too?

Perhaps the weirdest/most distinctive aspect of Survival Street is that the main characters are all puppets from a Sesame Street-style TV show. The puppets come from a Pacific island, so naturally that means all the characters are stand-ins for "immigrants" in some fashion. Cue the discrimination, cages, deportations, etc.

The art is largely fine, but the plot is so painfully forced into the "LOOK AT THESE IDIOT CONSERVATIVES GETTING THEIR WISH" mold that its hard to read or enjoy anything that's happening. And I'm a environmental zealot liberal! Yeesh.

[Calder Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely on the nose satire ab a future where corporations gain the same 1st amendment free speech rights as us and that allows them to run for office and it only takes a year for all these companies to hold 83% of elected positions including all of congress which eventually leads to some company declaring that all muppets are illegal immigrants (they’re real creatures in this who came from the Snuffalapagos Islands) so then the government busts in and shuts down production of sesame street and then cut to 3 years later and all of the previous cast members of sesame street are known as terrorists and they go on a violent tirade across and against corporate america. Pretty funny but not perfect and sometimes too on the nose but most of the time really funny and up to date satire

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, um.

Set in a right-wing dystopia where corporations are allowed to hold office, the living puppets from a children's television show are staging a private resistance.

Just like Greg the Bunny or The Happytime Murders, there's some logic flaws. If they're internally autonomous, why are they called puppets? And why do they make jokes about hands up their butts? But the creators probably aren't expecting logic.

The political satire is uncomfortably close to reality, something the writers comment on themselves. The art tells the story, but it's not the best at capturing the humor, imo.

[Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can appreciate the attempt, but if your graphic novel is going center a ragtag group of edgy muppets, and leftist muppets at that, than I kind of want to see more gore, more craziness, and more actually revolutionary behavior from said muppets.

Somehow had bad politics no matter which way you slice it, and for a explicitly political book, there was a conspicuous lack of focus on targeting any political party or entity—the main villains are nameless robots, creeps, and pigs from the State, a generic billionaire (fair enough,) and, bafflingly, a misguided,
“you’ve-gone-too-far” leftist for the final villain. What went wrong here?

[Emma Brackett]

I'll make this short because I feel kind of bad. I felt like they bit off more than they could chew. This book wants to touch on every hot topic; censorship, AI, companies as people, lack of jobs, colonialism, and being stretched so thin makes everything else feel meaningless. I think they really needed to focus on one story for a while then move on. The one thing that actually sparked some joy is a joke where one of the Muppets is going through withdrawal and she’s all fucked up in the background of 6 back to back panels doing the same pose. Also she got electricity powers as a withdrawal symptom? This comic is just too much and not in a good way.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was over the top in just the way that I wanted it to be! Love the group of puppet vigilantes - Birdie's a badass, Hippy's the heart and soul, and there's even a human with them named "Mr. Burton" that looks an awful lot like LeVar. I really loved Herbert's transformation from "Corporal Fairness" to "Corporal Punishment", and all of the campy nods to kids "edu-tainment" shows.

Gotta say though, the author's note at the end about society seeming to catch up with their hyperbole was a bit chilling.

[Jeff Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooof.
Satire is hard sometimes. The authors even say it in the afterword: between conception and debut, the satire got less far-fetched.
This book's basic premise is: if corporations truly run wild across the landscape of America, and if puppets (a la Sesame Street, but they aren't allowed to state that for legal reasons I'm sure) were a real immigrant group, what might happen?
Shit gets wild FAST. And our heroes are the grittiest, most-radical versions of themselves.
I enjoyed this a lot, even though it made me a little sick to think "that's honestly not too far from possible."

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a copy paste idea rip from octavia butler’s ’parable of the sower’, they added in some puppets and jokes to make it more palatable. This does not hit heavy, puppets compared to immigrants, (which I'm not sure about), the gore in comparison to 90% of any major comic company is super minimal.

Its weird how humans choose and pick whats is acceptable or not. Anyway its was a fun little read with some simple ideas and well documented possibilities of Americas future as a young nation.
3.5 is a solid rating for this read.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satirical, post-apocalyptic story concerning late-stage capitalism's influence on American politics and the spread of misinformation to the masses and how it all affects Seasame Street-esque characters' motivations, lives, and outlooks on the people and the world around them. As someone who's little one is obsessed with Seasame street at the moment, this was a read that gave me some really good chuckles, as well as a decent amount of shivers down my spine with how accurate some of the satirical events of the story match up with the reality we currently have before us.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A near future where corporations have completely taken over after being declared legally the same as people. This analogue to Sesame Street was shut down and the muppets all became freedom fighters (In this world muppets are real and not actual puppets.) This surface level satire is a lot of fun at times but never gets past the initial premise. There's not much of a larger story, just a few missions that they go on. Take it for what it is.

[Willie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'If you're going to recommend this book to a friend, we'd encourage them to pick it up ASAP. Because we're increasingly worried that pretty soon the only surreal part of the story will be the puppets'- A writeup from the back of the book that addresses the book's greatest failing, it's heavy handedness, by pointing out that it was supposed to feel ridiculous but now sadly feels close to home instead.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a spoof of Sesame Street and the Muppets and told in a dramatic way. The story takes place in a America that is taken over by corporations and greed. It's a commentary about the consequences of having power that is left unchecked and unopposed except for a group of former Muppets fighting against them.

This is a must read in light of what is about to happen to America in 2025. All I can say is without revealing any spoilers and thought provoking.

[Jessiejet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the premise of this book. This idea that characters from a public access television show, something that was made to teach basic school and moral subjects for free, would be first in the fight against a capitalist hellscape. It fills me with such joy. The story also highlights how children and families suffer when the system fails. It will take advantage of them for labor and cut off their access to a full education. This causes the children to suffer physically, mentally and emotionally. I hope to see more from this team.

On a personal note as we move even nearer toward this conclusion their is no one I would rather have by my side then a gang of puppets.

[♡*WithLove, Reesie*♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweetly ironic this 2023 graphic novel is.

Like a mirror reflecting today's world where PBS' (Sesame Street) funding is being cut. 

But these puppets fight back against their political regime, the gun happy extremists, and the money hungry blind eyes with weapons of violence and kindness in order to save the children.

I would say this is satire but it's more like nonfiction at this point. *nervous chuckle*

This should be a movie.

I would read again. I do recommend. 

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 1 out of 5]

A complete and utter disappointment.

I thought this would be dystopian Sesame Street, but it was terrorist puppets instead.

I laughed zero times and cringed about a hundred.

There are no memorable characters, and the plot is completely nonsensical.

Painfully stupid with no redeemable qualities.

[Michelle Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want your dystopia with a side of technicolor fur, this is your book. I freaking loved it! my favorite quote, delivered with all the righteous alphabetizing a furious teal puppet could deliver: "Your dad sounds like a fascist piece of shit. So maybe ask him to teach ya more A-B-C -- and less A-C-A-B."