Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Exorcism at 1600 Penn in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I don't usually read graphic novels but the premise of this one intrigued me. Am so glad I read it.
I found the storyline well written and the designs well drawn. Definitely an interesting way to tell a story.
Well worth a read if you are into graphic novels or if you want to try something different.

As someone who has never picked up a comic or graphic novel in my life, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The premise - a demonic possession in the White House - sounded exactly like the type of horror book I would gravitate towards so I figured I would give this a shot…and I’m glad I did!

Right from the start, I was pulled in by its originality - part political thriller and part supernatural horror. The artwork (which I admit I initially thought would be distracting) actually enhanced the mood and intensity in ways that words alone might not have. I found myself lingering on certain panels just to take it all in. The characters were distinct and memorable, and the central storyline kept me engaged. And perhaps this is a standard graphic novel thing, but I really appreciated how it didn’t try to over-explain things - it was up to me to piece things together.

With that said, as a newbie to the comic/graphic novel format, I did find some of the layout transitions a little confusing but got in a rhythm about halfway through. The only true distraction for me was the watermark in the middle of each page which I’m assuming was only there since the copy I read was an early release.

Overall, it was thrilling, eerie, and a great introduction to the comic format.

I am sorry to have to give a low rating to this. The artwork does not work for me and both the political subplot (Can I call it that?) and the watermark are very distracting. I requested it because I wanted to read a horror story, so the bits about politics are a bit off-topic to me. Also the artwork is dark and it has quite a lot of dialogues, putting a watermark over it makes it so difficult to read. I have to admit that I did not finish this one because of this.

I I got the ARC of this from NetGalley. This was an interesting read and I enjoyed the horror parts. Many people say that the White House itself is haunted and I wanted to read this graphic novel because I like spooky creepy stories. I like that in the end, the family works together to combat the evil that resides in the daughter. I would recommend it to people who like horror and graphic novels.

This was such a compelling graphic novel that not only uses horror elements, but makes a pretty huge social statement. I LOVED it! I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror and/or graphic novels. Just be ready for the message!

Graphic novel following a female president of the US who is dealing with a political crisis, potential nuclear war, and a daughter has been possessed by a terrifying demon.
I loved the mix of themes, and the parts of the story that highlighted those who believe a woman can't both successfully be a leader and a mother felt spot on.
The parts with the demon and exorcism were really effective too.
A great little horror graphic novel.

This got a bit too politically for me at times but I liked the possession/exorcism story line and how ultimately it brought the family together. Also low key a reminder to people to not fuck around with things regardless of whether you believe in spirits/devil/possession or not because you don’t know what could happen.

ARC provided by NetGalley. This is a fun graphic novel that mixes politics and religion. The first family is having to deal with both nuclear war and a possession of the first daughter. The art is dark and beautiful and the characters were relatively interesting. It was fast so I don’t think it was developed super well and didn’t really hold my interest but I could see my students being interested in the demon possessing the White House.

Thank you IDW Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this title. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I thought the premise of the story was interesting. I DNF because the story was hard to follow and i did not get into it. I thought the art was average and the watermark was distracting.

Thank you to Netgalley and IDW Publishing for an Advance Reader Copy of this title. All opinions are my own.

This was such a cool graphic novel. Even though I found it a little fast-paced, I like the story-line and I like the artwork and I looooooove the concept. The idea of the First Family getting haunted by a demon is super freaky and scary (albeit, there are a lot of underlying themes going there). I also liked that the author opted to make the President a female, which was super cool to see. You do see some gender profiling and treatment differences. There are some other sensitive topics involved - demons (obviously), religious beliefs, gender inequality, bullying, etc.

The story follows the President, her husband and her two kids. One kid wants to fit in so he is roped into committing a prank in their church. The other kid is more laid back and obsessively follows social media posts about her mother as the President. I did find one inconsistency, but it's a minor one that isn't *that* big of a deal.

Overall, this was a great story and I devoured it.

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn by Hannah Rose May is a gripping horror thriller with a refreshingly unique concept. Set against the backdrop of the White House, the story immediately pulls you in with its bold and eerie premise. The narrative unfolds with a strong plotline, filled with suspense, dark secrets, and supernatural twists that keep you turning the pages—or in my case, swiping the screen.
The writing is sharp and engaging, and the pacing is just right to maintain tension throughout. However, while the story itself holds a lot of potential, the visual presentation unfortunately falls short. The graphics in the digital review copy were quite underwhelming. This was a real letdown because a horror thriller in graphic format relies heavily on visual impact to evoke fear and immerse the reader. Had the illustrations been clearer and more defined, the story could have delivered a far more chilling and immersive experience.
Despite the visual issues, I still appreciate the originality of the plot and the effort behind this work. I’d love to revisit this title again—hopefully in print or with a cleaner digital version—because the story definitely deserves better representation through its art.

"The Exorcism at 1600 Penn" by Hannah Rose May presents a unique combination of political drama and supernatural horror, set within the iconic White House. The story follows Kelly Doyle, the first woman elected as President of the United States, as she navigates the complexities of her new role while facing an unexpected demonic presence in the nation’s most secure residence.

May's storytelling is ambitious, intertwining themes of power, faith, and family with horror elements. The pacing is deliberate and builds tension gradually, which may appeal to readers who appreciate a slow-burn narrative. However, some may find the buildup a bit prolonged, with the horror aspects taking time to fully develop.

While it may not provide the intense thrills some readers might expect, it offers a thought-provoking narrative for those interested in exploring the intersection of power and the paranormal.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC copy for an honest review

Kelly Doyle has just been sworn in as the first female president of the United States. Her husband and their two kids move into the White House and have to get used to their mom's new high pressure job. President Doyle is dealing with international threats from day one, but her biggest threat comes from insider her home when one of her children becomes possessed. As the possession and international relations worsen, the Doyles must work together to save one of their own and potentially the world.

I thought The Exorcism at 1600 Penn was a solid attempt at its premise of what if an exorcism needed to be done in the White House. I read all the issues in one sitting and thought the story flowed pretty well, though I imagine reading this month-to-month might have left me desiring more, and even then I still think the book skipped some narrative steps to get to the exorcism. I did not love the art, I think it was a good style and there were plenty of striking images throughout, but the ARC I was provided was not the highest resolution so I was loosing detail. The characters were well-drawn enough for a miniseries and it was easy to follow all of the threads through the climactic exorcism. Not a perfect comic, but if you are looking for the story its trying to sell I think you will be satisfied.

Thank you to NetGalley and IDW for a copy of The Exorcism at 1600 Penn in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this.

The artwork was neat, what I could see of it past the large watermark. That was one issue with this. I understand watermarking but, make it so you can still read and see the image if you’re trying to have people ARC read.

Then it just got a bit messy in some panels with too much going on and too many word bubbles.

The story was ok. Nothing that was so interesting I want to continue it though.

I was provided an ARC though NetGalley for an honest review.

I hate to say it, but good gravy this is bad!

DNF @ 63% and that's after really pushing myself to continue.

I just don't understand what the point of this is. Like, at all.

I absolutely don't get how the cover quote got comparing this to West Wing and Flanagan's shows...like, it's primarily set in the white house and there's spoops (kinda), but nothing about this is anything like those other properties. The comparison is frankly insulting to the prospective reader.

Why is this about the president's family?
What party is the president from and what are her politics? (a women in an interracial couple does not a manifesto make)
Am I supposed to care about any of the characters, beyond hating the bullies and shitty journalists?
Why the fuck is it banging on so much about fucking Havana fucking syndrome?

I am absolutely flummoxed.

There are bones of an interesting story here. A possessed child of the president and some spoopy creepypasta Havana Syndrome silliness could be something, but not in this poe faced, taking itself way too fucking seriously, absolutely falling into the Westworld Pretentiousnes Paradox.

I'm unfathomably bored.
I'm not in the least bit invested in anything.
My jeebies are decidedly unheebied.
I don't care.

I'm sorry.

I haven't written such a negative review on a long time, but this is the most milquetoast tin foil liberal nothing I've read in a while, and that would be one thing, but with the world and politics as they are right now, I actually find this comic insulting to my intelligence as well as being unbelievably fucking boring.

I'm always going to give an honest review.

I did not finish this one, it was hard to follow and the watermark in the middle was distracting and I did not connect with it

ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

I do normally love a demon possession story, and I'll admit that a lot of the full art pieces in this were really good. I really loved looking for the demon in the shadowy areas of the earlier panels too, definitely added a bit of tension in a way I don't think you could get from just a written piece of work.

At the end of the day though this was just your bog-standard demon possession story but with a really unnecessary presidential plotline alongside it. Obvious and not compelling, this exact story has been written hundreds of times before. Also, maybe it's just because I'm not American but... I just felt really put off by it all honestly, the presidential speeches and the war plot and whatever else. Just not for me. I also think the art style looked so unfinished which was disappointing.

As an aside, the watermark was really annoying in this, I know it's necessary but it was really distracting.

ARC Read: Yes, thank you to @idwpublishing for the ARC copy!
Format: Digital ARC
Genre: Horror
Pages: 130
Content Warnings: demonic possession, language
Rating: 🐆🐆🐆 .5/🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆

Synopsis: The first female president of the United States of America has her hands full with bloodthirsty congressmen, bad-faith reporters, increased foreign hostilities and more, not to mention balancing her marriage and the care of their two teenagers. But when an ancient evil surfaces among them, the halls of the White House become a much different kind of battleground, one that may cost them their souls.

Thoughts (assume minor spoilers):
This graphic novel collects the full run of the limited comic series The Exorcism at 1600 Penn. I subbed to this book because the ashcan preview my local comic book shop set aside for me looked compelling, and I’m glad I did.

I love a good possession story, and I appreciate the change in setting here. It takes that age-old political adage of “fighting for the soul of the nation” to its most literal. Rose May does a great job expressing outside of the possession story just how much technology plays a pivotal role in today’s political and social landscape. Del Rey’s frantic sketchy visuals keep your eyes on edge the entire time, and Bellaire’s muted color palette conveys a sense of dread that intensifies with each page.

Quibbles: I really did enjoy this book, so my quibbles are very minor, but - one, I wish there was more of the demon. Whether it be him manifesting more in the background, or wreaking more havoc up front, it would have been nice to see more. Two, and I realize this is a dumb thing to fixate on, but… where was the Secret Service during some of these scenes? The most egregious examples for me are when Kevin is pulling the prank, and when the major battle is happening in the final third of the book.

Overall, I recommend this one for folks who enjoy possession and demon stories.

Kelly Doyle is the 1st elected female president trying to juggle political tensions, the media and having 2 teenagers
the world on the brink of WWIII, kelly must battle not only international threats but the demonic possession of her daughter in this dark, gritty, modern political exorcist story

First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!

This graphic novel had a really cool concept, and while I'm aware that this is just the first entry in a series, I can't help but feel like it didn't live up to its potential. It's not bad or anything, it just could be better. The art is fine, the characters are fine, the story is fine. It's just fine. I'll probably forgot I read this in a week, but remember the concept itself.

I'm also seeing rumblings about AI use in the reviews here, which is super yikes, if it's true. I'd like some clarification on that.

Three stars out of five for The Exorcism at 1600 Penn!