When it comes to indie comics, a killer title is key, which is very much the case with Exorcism at 1600 Penn. But wait, there’s more! The first issue debuts in comic shops on October 16, following Kelly Doyle, who has just been elected the first woman president of the United States of America. Given how close this mimics the upcoming election and with an advance review copy in hand, I just had to spill the beans on this unique, anxiety-filled horror story.
Written by Hannah Rose May, this is a story of a family, our culture’s desire to tear down others, and the unending and rising anxiety seemingly present in all our lives. If you’ve ever wondered if the world felt more chaotic and scary than ever, this book will capture that feeling for you.
This is a story about Doyle taking office as president, but she’s also a mother of two teenagers and wife to a husband, all of whom are embroiled in a life in the White House. More of an ensemble, May takes us through their lives, showing us what the teenagers deal with at school, how they act at the dinner table and the nightmares they see late into the night.
Variant cover by Jock.
Credit: IDW
Tensions don’t just rest on the teens seeing criticisms of their mother on the internet; a third world war is looming, and a new, unclear threat is present. All the while, we see the characters trying to hold it together, even in quiet scenes, seemingly safe. That is, until you start to notice the devils and demons in the backgrounds.
Artist Vanesa Del Ray puts in her best work, topping her already unnerving and deeply creepy work on Redlands. Paired with Jordie Bellaire on colors (also of Redlands), this first issue has a grip on you from the first page.
I seriously had to read this twice in one sitting to see all the subtle ways Del Ray gets evil-looking things onto the page. Rarely is it staring right at you from a shadow, and how it creeps up on a character or even a smudge that, upon closer inspection, looks like a hand with long fingers. Evil practically drips off the page, and I dare you not to feel uneasy while reading this. The visuals reminded me of the incredibly creepy The Night House.
Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou are also fantastic, with good choices made, be it word balloons spilling into the gutters or how they draw your eye across the page. Everything he does has some story or character function.
My only gripe at this stage is the father, who is a bit absent. He is more of a supporting character to the family, and it’d be interesting to get more of his perspective.
Definitely preorder Exorcism at 1600 Penn, especially at $4.99 and 52 pages long. This is a memorable, tension-filled horror story, not unlike Longlegs, but it is also relevant as it captures today’s temperature and leans into the dynamics of politics. The psychological horror grabs you by the throat and forces you not to look away.
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