Talking ‘The Exorcism At 1600 Penn’ With Editor Heather Antos

Politics can be scary at the best of times. Adding real-life demons to the mix sounds like a recipe for disaster but it might just make the basis for a great comic book, as writer Hannah Rose May and artist Vanesa Del Rey are about to show with The Exorcism at 1600 Penn. With colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, here’s what editor Heather Antos had to say about the series:

Rachel Bellwoar: From Scandal to Borgen, stories about First Families have proven to be very compelling (and that’s not including the real ones). What sets the Doyles apart from other First Families?

Heather Antos: First female President in the White House aside, I think what makes the Doyles so compelling for myself personally is that they are excruciatingly normal. First Family and demonic possessions aside, they really are quite regular. Hannah’s ability to make the family dynamics relatable despite the fantastic setting of the White House really draws the reader in immediately with their charm. Whether it’s Kevin’s Gen Z slang, Mara’s teenage anti-social ways, or Kelly and Eric’s doting eyes while they call out their children’s inappropriate language, we’ve seen these tropes before whether in our homes or others, and that makes the reader immediately feel at home (in the White House) with them.

Bellwoar: Exorcism at 1600 Penn is peppered with references to religion. What specifically interested you in telling a religious horror story?

Antos: Other than being raised in a very Catholic household myself, you mean? The United States has a very lengthy history in regards to its relationship with religion — hell, one of the founding pillars in our Constitution is the Separation of Church and State to differentiate themselves from the English Anglican Church (whether or not the country upholds that pillar is left up to debate). Bringing an exorcism — and a Catholic Priest no less — into the White House itself given the current conversations surrounding the separation of Church and State made for a very compelling story. Art imitates life and social commentary in comics isn’t exactly a new concept.

Bellwoar: Overcast skies isn’t exactly the weather you want when giving an inauguration speech. Was it always the plan to have the bad omens start early?

Antos: Let’s just say we took the word “foreshadowing” very literally in this series!

Bellwoar: As the President’s children, Mara and Kevin don’t have it easy. While Kevin is seemingly making new friends, is it possible he’s being too trusting?

Antos: Being a teenager is hard enough, let alone being the kid of a controversial President — I can’t imagine you’d find many folks who’d be able to relate! I don’t blame him for wanting to step out on his own a bit, find his own friends, and separate from his family/sister while at school. But that certainly doesn’t mean these new friends are looking out for Kevin’s best interests. I suppose only time will tell…

Bellwoar: Doom scrolling is bad enough as a civilian but, for Mara, the person being criticized is her mom. For all of the good things that have come out of social media, do you think they’ll ever be a way of drawing a line so that fame doesn’t come at a total loss of privacy to anyone related to a public figure?

Antos: I think it’s all about how one chooses to use their social media — unfortunately humans have developed a very unhealthy relationship with it — both in how they personally consume it and choose to communicate on it. These platforms weren’t built with the idea of protecting their users from others, but rather to connect them and make interactions accessible. So until we as a society figure out a way to get folks to realize that all people should be treated with empathy and respect, that line really needs to get drawn by the individual user on what interactions, accessibility, and public display they are personally comfortable with having … because the platforms themselves certainly don’t hold that line.

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Heather!

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn #1 is out now. The second issue goes on sale today from IDW.