In IDW’s The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, the first issue jumps between two storylines: the first female president trying to control tensions and stop World War 3, and her kids adjusting to their new school amidst a boost in their social status.
Former Senator Kelly Doyle is sworn into office as the President of the United States. Her presidency has raised concern and criticism from the other side of the aisle, especially with a G7 conference looming at the end of her first week and high wartime tensions.
Meanwhile, President Doyle’s children, Mara and Kevin, have started at their new Catholic school. Mara has a hard time fitting in as she gets mocked and bullied daily, while Kevin assimilates into a group of popular kids after pulling a prank on a nun. The stress from school causes Mara to find solace in an old study she found inside the White House.
Soon, these two storylines meet when there’s an incident at school.
Hannah Rose May’s script is off to a great start. It juxtaposes the popular tropes of horror with the wartime tension of a political thriller. The issue itself is a slow burn, but the tension pulled from it is fantastic. In spite of the Doyle family’s status, their dynamics are relatable. Mara and Kevin’s bickering seems authentic, and the love President Doyle and her husband Eric have for each other shines through. It kept me guessing who was going to be possessed and how. While both of these questions are potentially answered, the cliffhanger at the end of these forty-four pages will have you wanting more.
With the kids being teens and the story taking place in modern times, there’s a lot of story conveyed on screens, and it’s handled well. Often, we see a drawn picture of the screen; a few panels in particular feature upvotes, downvotes, and thumbs up or down as a pattern to border the panel. Sometimes, we get screens floating next to our characters, but this change-up is what keeps the comic flowing. It’s a bold move for Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering, but it pays off.
Vanessa Del Rey’s character designs are unique and soon become part of this book’s charm. There are some panels that cut diagonally, and I’m not yet sure how I feel about them. While it looks neat, the flow of a two-page spread with five panels between them may be hard to read digitally. Jordie Bellaire’s colors give the book that 1970s cinema feel.
The Exorcism at 1600 Penn‘s first issue is fantastic. While its premise is familiar, its approach is unorthodox in the best way possible. Run to your comic store and pick this up today!
Creative Team: Hanna Rose May (writer), Vanessa Del Rey (artist), Jordie Bellaire (colorist), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (letterer)
Publisher: IDW Publishing
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