Rant-Reviews--Nothing Too Rancid AKA Why Call It SHIELD #1 If It 's Continuing The Last Arc?

We've got Venom #3, Hulk #34, DC Universe Legends Online #9, and S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 even though it isn't really a first issue at all.

Venom #3
Rick Remender has been doing an incredibly fast-paced series, covering a ton of story in just these three issues, although it is a shame we already had to have a fill-in artist for this issue. Still, a ton of action, some great suspense, and the art still looks good even if it isn't Tony Moore doing it.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Hulk #34
We launch the Red Hulk into space and he has to fight like a gladiator...wait, we did this already with the Green Hulk, and the story even comments on it. The weird thing is that took a bunch of issues and this may take all of two or three, which either means Jeff Parker is just doing this as a fun thing or trying to make a smart-ass comment on Marvel decompressing stories. Still, it doesn't have the art I usually love so that kind of stinks and the story is a retread of sorts, so I wasn't too impressed.
2.5 out of 5 stars.

DC Universe Online Legends #9
In this issue we are again mostly in the present/past/whatever, which normally would bug me, and we focus on Superman, which should cause even more problems, but this is actually a really good time because we get a Superman who is knocked off his game by the abduction of Lois by the alien Brainiac. It's cliche, but I do enjoy the occasional "angry Superman" bit, and this was a nice helping of it. Plus the book looked better than it sometimes does--people have been known to call this ugly as sin, which I wouldn't go so far as to do...but it can be below average for sure.
4 out of 5 stars.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1
Don't let the "#1" fool you, this is not a good jumping-on point, but instead a direct continuation of the S.H.I.E.L.D. mini-series that Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver did a bit ago, with the same creative team picking up literally at the exact moment #6 in the last series ended. I would make a comment about how the numbering is odd and silly, but I'm too busy enjoying the intriguing story which I am finally starting to understand and the gorgeous art that Weaver provides.
4.5 out of 5 stars.