Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. The artwork was nice but I thought it could’ve been a bit lighter cause at times some of the scenes seem to blend together. This graphic novel tells about the first female US president and the juggling of work and life balance. Sometimes a harmless prank turns into more than a harmless prank. Something dark and sinister is unknowingly unleashed at the White House. It’ll take people working together to get rid of the unwanted presence.

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn by Hannah Rose May offers a chilling peek behind the White House’s polished façade, blending real-world history with supernatural dread.
The story follows a job applicant who uncovers whispers of demonic possession lurking in the corridors of power, haunted politics meets eerie thriller.
May’s writing pulls you in with its unique setting and creepy escalations, and the White House backdrop adds an intriguing layer of prestige‑meets‑peril. While the pacing sometimes stumbles and a few twists feel predictable, the atmosphere is solid and the premise refreshingly original. If you’re into spooky political conspiracies and hauntings with a capital‑letter twist, this one’s worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I have never read a comic style book before this was my first one. It was the story that pulled me in as that sounded like it was right up my street.
I found the comic strip itself to be very distracting and put me off somewhat. Other than my struggle with the comic strip it is worth reading I would rate this 3.5 starts if I could as the writing and story was good. This style of book just is nt for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC for exchange for my review

My thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for an advance copy of this new graphic novel about power, politics, poltergeists, possession, and the patriarchy and the presidency, a story about the first woman elected to the nation's highest office, in a time of anger, war drums, and something much older looking to break free.

As a fan of horror and history I have always wondered why there weren't more stories about the horror genre and politics. There are stories of witch hunters, and Vatican empowered vampire killers, but those are almost workplace horror stories, with a bit of theology. X-Files is mostly conspiracies, the evil that governments can do to control a message. Politics is a dark art, probably as old a dark art as possible from the time we first lived in caves and a leader took power by club, or by promise. We see the evil of politics, where many in government feel that people are cogs in the wheel of the state, when they clog the workings of the state, ie, want more power, want to be who they are, stop working for the state, well the state can reduce them to non-citizens, or even the other. See politics is scary. Outside of the Omen III movie few have looked at the power of the presidency, how a good person can be corrupted for votes, or too keep power. Especially against an evil that has claimed their family, and something that could end in nuclear fire. The Exorcism at 1600 Penn is written by Hannah Rose May, and illustrated Vanesa Del Rey and tells of the first woman president of the United States, the people she has to fight, the family that finds itself at risk, and a world that seems to want war for no reason.

Kelly Doyle has been elected President of the United States of America after a tumultuous battle. With hours of her inauguration Doyle is already under attack for making America look weak, and not dealing with the attacks on politicians and spies, by a foreign country, a recurrence of the Havana Syndrome. Doyle and her family are adjusting to living in the camera eye with her children attending a Catholic school, also with mixed results. Kevin her sin is doing ok, making friends, but Mara her daughter seems to be having a hard time, and gained a few enemies. Mara also is not mentally well, doomscrolling her phone seeing the attacks on her mother, and getting more and more anxious. A prank by Kevin seems to effect Mara in strange ways, causing seizures, speaking in tongues, and acting weird. The president has also received word that the Havana Syndrome attacks are hitting close to home, maybe even aimed at the White House. As the world moves to war, something seems to be infesting the body politic, a threat as old as man, or maybe a new weapon aimed at destroying the presidency.

A book that mangaes to balance politics, religion and kids being very mean girls. The story moves well, and conveys the politics well, including the fact that a woman president will get questions a male president would never be asked. Sort of like what a female comic book writer gets asked that they would never ask say a Chris Claremont. The story moves well, an gets both creepy and disturbing as one tries to figure if there is a real Demon, or if this is a case of sonic attacks on the brain. I really love the use of Havana Syndrome in the story, leaving a big wonder in the mind, if the demon that seems to want Mara is real, or just in her head.

The art is good, moody, dark, a little cartoony, but surprisingly unsettling. The art compliments tha story. A book I quite enjoyed and a team I would like to see more of.

This graphic novel had a great premise but it was never satisfactorily ended.

It has everything going for it, so my DNFing should not be your recommendation from me. I loved the artwork, it was moody and creepy.
I've always suspected that 1600 housed a demon if not the anti-Christ, and I so wanted to see something like that, but this just never landed for me.

I do suggest you give it a read if you like horror and politics mixed. Expected publishing date August 19, 2025

Thanks to @netgalley and IDW Publishing for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Creepy Vibes and Creative Premise, But Didn't Fully Stick the Landing

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn has a killer concept—America's first female president juggling a political crisis, troubled teens, and… a possible demonic possession in the White House? Yes, please. The atmosphere is spot on, with Vanessa Del Rey’s moody, horror-tinged art totally stealing the show. The White House has never looked creepier.

The story had promise with its mix of political tension and religious horror, but it didn’t quite come together for me. The patriotic tone felt out of place and underdeveloped, especially given the current global climate. Some plot points, like the mysterious syndrome, felt tossed in without much payoff, and the ending came off a bit too silly for the tone it had built.

Still, it’s a unique setup with stunning visuals (although the watermarks were a bit off putting) and a strong slow-burn vibe. Worth a read if you’re into horror with a political twist—but don’t expect all the threads to tie up neatly.

I managed to read the first part of this before DNFing. The artwork was strange, the storyline disjointed (didn’t read well on an iPad) and the was no horror in the first part. Will not be continuing on.

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn builds slowly with an eerie unsettling feeling that finally pays off at about ¾ of the way through the story. The book includes dark, moody colors and sharp, angular art that pairs well with the tone of the work.

he Exorcism at 1600 Penn throws you right into the eye of a supernatural storm at America’s most famous address. Kelly Doyle, the first female president, is juggling way more than just politics and motherhood. With the world on the brink of war, she suddenly finds the White House itself turning into a battleground between good and evil.

The story is intense and atmospheric, blending political drama with full-on horror vibes. Kelly’s struggle to keep her family and the country safe adds a real emotional punch, making this more than just a ghost story. It’s smart, suspenseful, and packed with chilling moments that had me hooked from panel one.

Hannah Rose May’s writing paired with Vanesa Del Rey’s art is a match made in spooky heaven. If you’re into psychological horror with a side of political thriller, this graphic novel is your new obsession. Think Nice House on the Lake meets The Haunting of Hill House but with that sharp White House edge.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The first female president of the United States is elected at damaging political crisis, with the threat of an upcoming war, while having to navigate motherhood through her two teenage kids, Mara and Kevin. Mara is not doing well in the new school and falls victim to bullying, while Kevin gets the attention of the popular kids. A prank going wrong and Mara developing worrying habits might be all it takes for the White House to be the stage of a real exorcism.

First things first, I must comment on the art style: Vanessa Del Rey absolutely nails the atmosphere and creates a beautifully creepy imagery for these events. The White House looks like it's been taken out of a horror game. Incredible ambiance and paneling structure.

The story itself deserves credit where credit is due. It's a creative religious horror set in a quite original background. While I do enjoy the politics mixed with religion in the context of horror, the patriotic message falls flat to me, specially with the state the world is currently in right now. I find it hard to talk politics without actually diving into it and we are, in no way, introduced to it. We are supposed to root for the president and that's it. With all that aside, the syndrome mentioned in the fictitious story lead us nowhere and I wonder why it was even mentioned. The final takeaway was just a bit silly to read, honestly.

Something I would suggest is making the arc watermarks less opaque. I think it would help with inclusivity, letting a larger variety of readers review this one.

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.