After two super-sized issues of buildup, The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace is finally getting to its titular exorcism. As Theo Belmont lies in the grasp of a demonic force, his grandfather is slowly dying from cancer. With no options left, Prime Minister Ben Carnagie is left with no choice but to call a Catholic priest in order to purge the demon from Theo’s body. If things couldn’t get any worse, the House of Commons is planning to go to war as they think the rest of the royal family was targeted by opposing forces. With Theo’s soul on the brink and the world itself on the brink of war, the stakes have never been higher.
Though The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #3 seems to be juggling enough storylines for two issues, Hannah Rose May manages to balance it all with relative ease. The maze of potential warfare and political ambition serves as a background to the supernatural elements, but May never downplays its importance. She also writes some truly terrifying moments, including a moment where Theo comes face to face with a demonic version of his younger self while his body is being puppetted by eldritch forces. Good horror works when you introduce tension, and May’s script has plenty of tension to spare.
The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #3 also hints at a wider world. Father Reid, the priest who’s summoned to Buckingham to perform the exorcism, is the same priest who helped save the President’s daughter in The Exorcism at 1600 Penn. Worry not, dear readers, this is still a standalone series – although I highly recommend checking out 1600 Penn if you love this comic. The demon possessing Theo also gets a name — Thalra’dun, the “Darkened Tide” — and motives that hint at a larger tapestry of malevolence. Any horror writers looking to craft their own comics universe should pay close attention to what May is doing here, as she’s written two stories that can stand on their own and build a wider world in the process.
IDW
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautifully disturbing artwork that Kelsey Ramsay brings to the table. Ramsay’s imagery is chock-full of perfectly placed movie references; when Father Reid first appears, he’s standing under a shaft of light, looking up at Buckingham Palace, in a pitch-perfect replica of The Exorcist’s iconic poster. But where Ramsay really succeeds is in selling the menace of Thalra’dun. The demon is a roiling mass of shadows that form serpentine tentacles, further hammering home the Lovecraftian imagery that’s fueled this series. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also a panel featuring a mass of glowing green ghosts that will send shivers down your spine.
Ramsay’s art gets an extra scary sheen courtesy of Heather Breckel and Jodie Troutman. Breckel’s color work veers toward darker and darker hues, often going pitch-black whenever Thalra’dun appears on the page. The demon has a truly disturbing way of speaking, as Troutman depicts its speech bubbles as twisted pits of black-and-white lettering. In true demon form, these letters take the form of chilling taunts or threats that will make your heart skip a beat.
The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #3 is a well-crafted, chilling conclusion to IDW’s latest horror hit. It also opens the door to more horror-tinged thrillers from Hannah Rose May, while cementing her as one of the best horror writers in the game.
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