Rat Queens #3 (Image Comics – $3.50) returns this month, with two different covers by Roc Upchurch. And each cover, upon inspection, perfectly reflects the tone of the series.

Cover A depicts the titular quartet of hell-raising women doing what they do best: wreaking havoc. Creatures are stabbed, blood flies, and Hannah, the Elven mage, conjures a little magic to top it off. Cover B is more of a pin-up, but Violet – the hipster Dwarf – isn’t your stereotypical comic book pin-up model. She’s filthy, bloodstained, and beaten from her most recent brawl, with a nasty gash marking her left cheek. The look on her face says it all; it feels like a derisive message to the status quo, breaking through the fourth wall. “No, I’m not a sex kitten in a spandex outfit…I kick asses for a living. Deal with it.”

Due to their awesomeness, issues #1 and #2 both went into their second printing, so if you’re not on board with this title yet, it’s easy to get caught up.

Kick-ass 3 #5 (Marvel Comics – $2.99) is rapidly approaching its final issue of the arc (which will be the final issue of the entire series, according to writer and co-creator Mark Millar.)

A new vigilante team makes their presence known in the city, and these masked killers are not messing around: they shoot, stab, and mutilate crime lords, and use YouTube to show off their handiwork. Will Kick-Ass and his group align themselves with the new team? Will Dave finally get a girlfriend? And will Hit-Girl get out of jail, or continue to run her own gang from the inside?

I have no idea where this series going or how it will end, but with only four issues left I can’t wait to find out.

And the big summer event draws to a close this Wednesday with Infinity #6 (Marvel Comics – $5.99), the super-ultra-mega crossover series that you simply have to purchase if you’re a fan of the Marvel universe. Seriously, it’s not optional. If you miss out on this one, Stan Lee will personally show up at your house with the Infinity Gauntlet and blast you out of existence.

So while I’ll be picking up Infinity (mostly out of fear), I’m honestly more excited about a different Marvel title: Hawkeye #14 (Marvel Comics – $2.99). Over the last year, writer Matt Fraction has breathed new life into a character that, let’s face it, few people would list as one of their favorites. (How many kids ran to their parents before Halloween, begging for a bow and a pointy purple mask?) What he’s done with “˜Hawkguy’ in this series is nothing short of magic: it’s fresh, bold, funny, strange at times, and always veers off course into a direction I could have never expected.

So there are my three (and a half) picks for the week, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a few more of my Image favorites: Saga #16 (Image Comics – $2.99), which is maybe the best ongoing monthly title period, and reprints of Matt Fraction’s wonderful Sex Criminals will be on the shelves.

Let me know what your #NCBD picks of the week are!

Blake Northcott is a Canadian writer, Twitter-er, and Vampire Slayer (only the ones that sparkle). She’s a regular contributor at CBS Man Cave Daily, and has written two Amazon Kindle bestsellers.

Blake’s new project, the sci-fi/superhero novel Assault or Attrition, is currently available on Kickstarter, and features character design and illustrations by Marvel, DC, Image Comics, and Adventure Time artists, including Dave Johnson, Mark McKenna, Steve McNiven, “˜Roc’ Upchurch, Derek Laufman, Dan Panosian, and Natasha Allegri.