So creepy. I love the art style though. The use of lines and colours to portray the story. I did find this one a bit harder to read in terms of smaller dialogue (using a mobile phone) but overall good graphic novel.

Prepare for the security clearance briefing like you've never seen!

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn is a unique and fresh take on the possession genre at one of the most iconic locations in history. This slow-burn horror graphic novel is sure to take readers on a journey that they won't soon forget. From briefing rooms to media rooms to the heart of the Catholic church, this book travels around to solve the ever-looming mystery of what the President of the United States is currently facing with her family. It's adventurous and grand in scale, and at times, I struggled to grasp it because I felt somewhat lost, but those details returned in force as needed, and the end of this story was genuinely written at the next level.

The illustrations in this story are also superb. They are disturbing and creepy in a way that elevates the plot!

Perfect for fans of Chucky (TV Series), Paradise, and the Exorcist!

I don't know much about comic books/graphic novels as this is only the first one I've ever read in full, but I enjoyed this one for what it was. I wasn't expecting the like... weird Christian nationalism (yeah, 'merica, thank you, Jesus, amen) undertone at the end, but I guess I should have seen it coming since it was about the US president's daughter getting possessed by a demon. That may have just been me reading into things a little too much, though. I was a bit confused by the artwork, and thrown off by the inconsistency of how the characters were drawn; one other reviewer on Goodreads suggested that maybe they attempted to touch up the artwork with AI, and I think that would make sense.

This was a super fun book. I liked how it incorporated paranormal and more realistic horror due to the nature of presidency. I wish it was longer!

This would be a great VHS movie! The phenomenal Irish author Hannah Rose May co-oping with the talented Cuban born artist Vanessa Del Rey used an iconic setting to bring fresh blood into the worn-out possession genre. America's first female president struggles to raise her adolescent daughter and son alongside her leadership duties, while facing a formidable threat on both the worldly and otherworldly stage.

I liked the slow plot-building and the family-centredness of the characters as they listened and looked after each other. There is a lot of text, but it helped me to consider the content to be serious and realistic. Vanessa Del Rey's distinctive drawing style (as if it were all done with charcoal pencil instead of the usual ink, with dark and solid color schemes predominating) set the mood of grim menace. I liked that the demonic presence was questionable for a long time. It could have been taken as a mere hallucination of the character (until the actual possession happened) - the pressure on the President and her daughter at the doorstep of world war three could understandably have triggered it. However, the supernatural is real in the world of this graphic novel, so eventually a very exciting blend of political thriller, family drama and infernal horror emerged. The ending hit less than I expected, but they still made a great, rich content to fill the playtime.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley, I read an advanced reading copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the art work that was used, although with the watermarking some of it was hard to make out. Totally understand the necessity, but it definitely affected being able to pick up on some of those important details – especially for the spooky stuff. The story line was great. I loved the world building and the set up!
Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.

This was a great graphic novel. The intertwining of possession and politics made it even more interesting than I thought and overall it was a great storyline. I loved the art style used and think it went really well with the story.

Prepare for the security clearance briefing like you've never seen!

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn is a unique and fresh take on the possession genre at one of the most iconic locations in history. This slow-burn horror graphic novel is sure to take readers on a journey that they won't soon forget. From briefing rooms to media rooms to the heart of the Catholic church, this book travels around to solve the ever-looming mystery of what the President of the United States is currently facing with her family. It's adventurous and grand in scale, and at times, I struggled to grasp it because I felt somewhat lost, but those details returned in force as needed, and the end of this story was genuinely written at the next level.

The illustrations in this story are also superb. They are disturbing and creepy in a way that elevates the plot!

Perfect for fans of Chucky (TV Series), Paradise, and the Exorcist!

The world building and plot is good, I unfortunately couldn’t get over how so many characters can resemble caricatures at times though.

This comic delivers an intriguing twist on the exorcism genre by weaving in politics and demons within the White House. The plot balances dark supernatural elements with sharp political commentary, creating an unusual but effective backdrop for the story. The characters, especially the brother (Thank you for not being an annoying sibling this time), keeps the narrative engaging, and the setting of the presidential residence adds a level of tension and mystery. However, the art style feels a bit inconsistent. While the demons are depicted with a hauntingly impressive flair, the human faces can often look strange, detracting from the emotional weight of the story and I couldn't tell what the fuck was happening sometimes.

The conclusion offers a bit too much of a "fix everything with a bow" vibe, making the political and supernatural tension feel deflated. Despite these flaws, the comic is still a fun, unique read, with an intriguing mix of horror, politics, and the supernatural that keeps you invested but it's not quite great sadly.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, IDW Publishing, and Hannah Rose May for providing me with an ARC of The Exorcism at 1600 Penn in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this supernatural-horror graphic novel immediately caught my attention: the story revolves around the President of the United States and her family after moving into the White House, only to encounter dark and unsettling forces. The blend of political intrigue with supernatural horror felt like a fresh concept, and I was eager to dive into it.

While I initially thought the supernatural-horror element would be the highlight for me, I found the political tension and the portrayal of power dynamics to be the most compelling parts of the story—especially considering the current political climate. It was intriguing to see how these themes were woven into the narrative, adding a layer of complexity beyond just the horror.

That said, while the concept had a lot of potential, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations. The pacing and plot development felt uneven at times, which left me wanting more in terms of depth and emotional engagement. However, one aspect that stood out in a big way was the artwork. The illustrations were absolutely stunning and perfectly complemented the eerie tone of the story, drawing me into the unsettling atmosphere.

In the end, while The Exorcism at 1600 Penn didn’t entirely live up to its promise, it still offered some captivating moments and exceptional artwork that fans of both supernatural thrillers and political drama may appreciate.

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, written by Hannah Rose May and illustrated by Vanesa Del Ray, is a fictional horror comic written about a first family of the future. Kelly Doyle is the first female president of the United States, and has all the responsibilities that go with this, as well as being a wife and mother to two teenagers. Her children start at a new Catholic school when they move to DC, and they have added peer pressures while there, which lead to some mysterious behaviors from one of them. The family must learn how to come together and figure out what is happening to their family, and whether the government might be involved.
I really enjoyed this book! I do not read too many comics, but the setup and story was easy to follow, and I appreciated the religious aspects. I also enjoyed seeing how the family worked together to come up with a solution. I feel that it really made the characters feel down to earth, despite their power.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the author, illustrator, and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly Doyle has just been elected President of the United States. She must find the balance between being a world leader and being a wife and mother. Kelly’s children, Mara and Kevin, have started a new Catholic school, which brings its own difficulties. Mara seems to be socially struggling while Kevin gives in to social pressures. Meanwhile, the press is having a field day with Kelly’s first 100 days in office, calling her “Devil Doyle”. The stress never ends, some of the Agents of United States may be suffering from something called Havana Syndrome and it could be a potential pointed attack on the country.

#ThxNetGalley #HannahRoseMay #Exorcismat1600Penn #idwpublishing

The premise was very interesting, but the execution was poor. The layout was very confusing, to the point that I read dialogue out of order on several pages. The story itself was promising, but there was no real tension or thrills. A demon using the President’s daughter to destroy the world should have been far more tense and thrilling than it actually was. I wish I could rate it higher, but I really can’t.