AHM and S-28 Reviewed

From this week's "The Buy Pile" column at ComicBookResources.com:

Transformers: All Hail Megatron #8 (IDW Publishing)

Whoa. This series has always kicked things up a notch, but this month, this month writer Shane McCarthy stepped up his game so dramatically in scale that it's like watching somebody go from Pop Warner to the NFL. This issue leans on the IDW internal continuity but never actually makes you think, "wait, did I see that?" Everything you need for this flawlessly presented issue is held within these pages, from Kup's wonderful characterization ("That's where you think this is? That's where we are? Jokes? Pallin' around?") to the wonderful interplay between Bombshell and Starscream, to the brilliant elements called back from this series and previous ones ("I'm trying! It's too slick!") and a denouement involving Sunstreaker that's so big, so well developed and so striking a change that your TF fandom may never be the same. All with Guido Guidi, John Wycough, Josh Burcham and Kris Carter bringing the visuals in a way that's both so wonderfully composed and also so skillful in its visual storytelling that this issue sets a new high water mark for a series that was already kicking butt with both feet. Wow.

The Life and Times of Savior 28 #1 (IDW Publishing)

A very pleasant surprise, as J.M. DeMatteis uses a very crafty framing device to depict this impossibly powerful man solely through the memories of others, showcasing a man who spent his life trying to find the right way only to be killed when he finally believed he'd discovered it. If you liked the art on "G0dland," you'll like this as well, a less whimsical style but still very old school (with an indie spin) in its sensibilities thanks to Mike Cavallaro and Andrew Covalt. The scene in the nursing home is a wonderfully subtle moment, the disgust and surprise on the title character's face at the Times Square rally was well depicted and the pacing on this issue is so perfect that you could set a clock to it. Fantastic work here.