FIRST LOOK: THE EXORCISM AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE #1 (IDW Publishing)
The Royal Family is lost at Sea, and this leaves the black sheep of the family to be named the next King. The unanswered questions are how did this happen and is there a dark cloud hanging over the Belmont family? The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace is the much-anticipated sequel to The Exorcism at 1600 Penn. This new series launches on March 11th, 2026 with issue number one. Ahead of the Final Order Cutoff date of Monday February 2nd, 2026, IDW Publishing gave us a copy of issue one for a SPOILER FREE review.
The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace - Written By Hannah Rose May – Art By Kelsey Ramsay – Colors By Heather Breckel - Letters By Jodie Troutman – Edited By Heather Antos - Published By IDW Publishing
Credit: IDW Publishing
STORY OVERVIEW:
The Royal Yacht Britannia is taking on water after being struck by a strange and mysterious storm. This leads to the Prince, Princess, and their families being lost at Sea. When the news gets back to Buckingham Palace, the King and leadership from England have some tough decisions to make. Lead of all the decisions is announcing the new heir to the throne, Prince Theo Belmont, who has a lot of demons in his closet. Now, an heir that doesn’t want the throne, and a room full of people who doubt the decision have to figure this out. But worse than that, the mystery of what happened may not have been man made or from nature, but rather a curse that has hunted the Belmont family for years.
WRITING:
This issue does an awesome job of laying down the groundwork for the series to come. Hannah Rose May does a fantastic job of setting the scene and immersing the reader in this world. May captures the tone and pace of the original series. The pacing and reveals in this first issue really help set the mood and build a sense of suspense to find out what’s next. Knowing that this dark presence is very real also builds anticipation as it is not exactly handed to the reader completely in this first issue.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this issue matches the story impeccably and brings the world to life. Kelsey Ramsay matches the energy of the story with the artwork. Ramsay’s sullen art lets the reader know that we are in despair and following a very fractured family and nation. These nods allow the reader to really feel the sorrow and uncertainty of the characters, which makes the story much more impactful.
Speaking of impact, the dark color choices of Heather Breckel drive home the sullen despair of this story. Using such dark colors makes the images feel darker which gives a depressing and ominous feel to the story. The mood is further set with the lettering by Jodie Troutman. The lettering matches the tone and mood perfectly.
Final Thoughts:
The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #1 really sets the tone for the series going forward and makes the reader want more. Judging from the last series, we are in for a thrilling ride as this story goes on. Issue one may be slow on thrills, but what it lacks in that department it more than makes up for with backstory and intrigue. Make sure to get to your LCS or order this issue online before Monday February 2nd to ensure you have a copy of this first issue.
FINAL GRADE: 9/10
Let me know your thoughts on The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
