This was super fun! The art was solid, the action was great and the humor was actually pretty funny. Quippy humor can veer into corny territory really easily, but this had just the right amount of it. The humor/action combo actually reminded me of Venture Bros, so I'd definitely say the jokes are more that than MCU. I didn't like the ending, but I'm still definitely going to read more books in this universe if that does happen. There was a "to be continued" that lead me to believe there will be more books, so fingers crossed. This would be a fun movie or TV series. Thanks for the ARC!

Spy Technology & Murderous Mayhem!

Matthew Rosenberg’s We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us is a chaotic blast of spy drama, killer robots, and emotional baggage, all wrapped in slick retro sci-fi vibes. This story follows Annalise, a 13-year-old faced with a terrible tragedy and a robot bodyguard, as she decides whether to live a normal life or torch everything in her path. You will not see how the progression of this story winds up. There are twists and turns and murderous mayhem around every panel. The story is fast, sharp, and full of heart. It masterfully balances a thrilling revenge plot, navigates grief through the eyes of a little girl, and has nifty spy technology that 007 fans are going to love. It’s weird, wild, and totally worth the ride.

A wild ride that is reminiscent of 1970s spy thrillers with hints of dark comedy. I fully enjoyed myself within this story, and it had me hooked from chapter one. It follows Anna, the daughter of a scientist who has been living isolated from the world while he works on his "great project". She is accompanied by several of her father's robots, but seeks out her father. While she goes to look for him, she finds a strange person in her basement, which leads her to slowly learning the truth. It's hard to talk about this book without spoiling it. The entire plot line is sort of crazy, but perfectly in line with a spy thriller from the 1970s, though there were several moments that reminded me of the movie "Casino Royale" from 1967. The story leads you on a very bombastic journey about learning the truth of Annalise and her father's past, while managing to add in some comedy. The comedic aspects lean hard towards dark comedy, but several of them are pretty raunchy. A few jokes caught me off guard, and I did have to put the comic down cause I was giggling too much to keep reading. There are a few twists that I did NOT see coming, so I was pretty satisfied with those. I normally can guess a twist from a mile away, but these surprised me. The ending was a bit abrupt. I feel like it could have ended a little smoother. Though it is teased that there will be another volume, so I guess they had to make it a cliffhanger. The art style is purely American, again with that 1970s style. It appeared that the style changed somewhat with certain chapters, but I couldn't tell if it was the style or because the line weight kept changing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I haven't read a graphic novel in ages. Batman Dark Knight and Death of Superman were on my shelf. We're Taking Everyone Down With Us was a change up for me.
We have a Scientist's daughter out to avenge her father's death assisted by her robot protector. Nice graphics and story. Adult themes and scenes. This would make a nice addition to the collection of anyone into this genre.

Annalise grew up on an island with her father, his manservant, and several devoted robot men. Her father is a good man. A great man. No matter what that guy she just found tied up in the dungeon (they have a dungeon?) says.

The morning after, Annalise’s world is torn apart. Quite literally. Her father dies, the island explodes, and all she has left in the world is one robot man who is making pretty liberal decisions around his programming, all to keep her safe. But Annalise doesn’t want to be safe. She wants vengeance.

I’d call this “elevated spy pulp.” There’s so much here that calls back to the 1970s and 80’s Bond-era movies and magazines, but with the addition or, more accurately, subtraction of the Comics Code Authority. The blood and injuries are gratuitous, but the sex is mostly off-screen, with bodies splayed about in the aftermath. Much like in the aftermath of the battles. Blood for shock, sex for humor, and I think the humor is done well.

The world is actually pretty well-grounded. It’s not what I’d call a “superhero” story, and certainly not fantasy. The “science” is fairly impossible, but it does still feel like the writing is trying to make it plausible in-world. This is more a James Bond situation, not a Marvel or DC situation. This actually makes the finale quite satisfying, as the world becomes even more grounded in the plausible.

The plot drags a little in the middle as Annalise makes her way to her target, but the beginning and ending are captivating. Keep yourself in the book through that slow middle and you could easily finish this in one sitting.

The book ends with a VERY Bond-esque poster teasing the return of one of the spies, in what seems to be his own adventure, without Annalise. I honestly can’t tell if that was a joke or if there will be a sequel! I’d definitely love to read a second book, though!

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

4.5/5

Now this is how you open a comic. *We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us* starts with a mad scientist dad, a lonely but brilliant daughter, and a robot bodyguard. Within a few pages, everything blows up (literally and emotionally) and from there it’s all sharp dialogue, non-stop action, chaos, and lots of violence. Oh, and the revenge is coming from a kid.

I loved how the story pokes fun at every spy trope in sight. It’s funny, brutal, and absurd enough to make you grin when things get nasty. Annalise is unstoppable and she tears through her adversaries like a feral creature. Together with her robot companion, they make one hell of a revenge road trip.

Stefano Landini’s art hits the sweet spot between slick and grimy. Every punch lands, every explosion pops, and every expression carries weight. The colors, split between Roman Titov and Jason Wordie, give the whole thing a nostalgic vibe, like you’re watching some lost pulp classic restored in 4K.

And it moves. No filler, no dragging exposition. The pacing is breakneck, and it makes you realize you’ve been holding your breath since page three. It’s over-the-top in all the right ways: big feelings, bigger guns, and chaos all around, including an exploding volcano.

In short, it's stylish, savage, and stupidly fun.

"We're Taking Everyone Down With Us" is a fun and original riff on the spy genre that balances action and humor really well. The world feels very lived-in and fleshed out, with plenty of room to explore additional corners of the universe in future comics. Rosenberg does a great job of playing with narrative expectations, with twists that manage to feel both earned and yet still unexpected. Stefano Landini's art has a kinetic energy to it that fits the narrative perfectly. When characters fight, you can practically see their movements on the page. Between the two of them, Rosenberg and Landini manage to carve out their own little corner of the genre that feels distinctly theirs. I look forward to see how the two of them further explore this world moving forward.

A slam-bang satire of spy thrillers from the perspective of a girl who happens to be the daughter of a mad scientist out to rule the world that a James Bond-type is determined to take down.

Twisty and violent fun.


Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contains material originally published in single magazine form as <i>We're Taking Everyone Down With Us</i> #1-6.

My thanks to NetGalley and Image comics for an advance copy of this new graphic novel which tells the heartwarming story of a daughter, the father who loved her, the robot that has become her guardian, and lot of ultraviolence, and a superspy who looks quite familiar if one is a fan of 70's movies.

I have loved comics since birth, and following their progress has been amazing. The changes in story, the changes in art, how they are presented and even how they are sold always amaze me. Even though comics were a children's medium, comics really can't do children well in story telling sense. Few capture that amazement of growing up, of being aware that things aren't what your parents tell you. Or that feeling of what happens when a child is left with only a robot to guide her on a path of savage destruction. We're Taking Everyone Down With Us is written by Matthew Rosenberg with Stefano Landini and Jason Worie illustrating, and tells the story of a young woman who must find her way in a world she doesn't know, against enemies she never knew she had, with only a robot to protect her and help her reload as she slaughters as many people as she can.

Annalise is 13-years old, can't really remember her mother, has no friends except robots to play hide-and-seek with, nor knows a life off the island she has always been on. Annalise knows that her father is a great man, a smart man, who wants to change the world, but seems to see her as a burden. The real world comes crashing in with the intrusion of a fisherman who tells Annalise that things with her father aren't what they seem. Soon the island is attacked, her father killed, and everything Annalise has ever known is gone. Except for an overly-sentimental, protective robot who is steadily losing parts keeping her alive. The more Annalise learns, the weirder things get, super villains, mad geniuses, spies who look like 70's box office stars. And the the uncomfortable feeling that Annalise is starting to enjoy the violence, is quite good at it, and does not know how or why.

A big comic with lots of ideas, a big cast, and surprisingly a lot of heart. Sure many hearts wind up on the floor, torn from dissected bodies, but heart none-the-less. Rosenberg is a very good writer, able to take a familiar idea that has been used a few times, and yet make it new and different. And funny. The humor here is actually good, rare in comics. Not Beavis nor Butt-Head, though it strays close, but some actual laugh out loud moments, usually involving the spy who looks a lot like, well I won't ruin it. Let's just say fans of the movie Gator will be happy. The art is real good. A mix or realism, a slight sense of whimsy for childhood and fantasy, and superviolent when needed. Really beautiful stuff, especially the coloring. The story wants you to skip ahead, but the art slows things down, as readers just want to take in the details, and how things are portrayed.

A really good fast paced story, one that wraps up here, but can continue if the public demands. I hope they do, as I would really enjoy seeing more. Fun, funny, heartwarming, and blood thirsty. And a good read.