Blake Northcott is a Canadian author, screenwriter, teacher, and producer.
She graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature before going on to write seven international best-selling novels, more than thirty comics, and two screenplays.
Blake's 'Arena Mode Saga' is in development with Heavy Metal Studios to be a streaming series, and her novel 'The North Valley Grimoire' - the #1 crowdfunded novel ever in Canada - is currently in development as well.
In addition to writing, Blake hosts a regular show on Heavy Metal Instagram Live, teaches at the Kubert School, and makes convention appearances across Canada and the US.
Career Timeline
In July 2022, Blake was a featured guest and panelist at San Diego Comic Con.
In May 2022, 'Heavy Metal Presents: Arena Mode' was released in bookstores across North America, including Barnes & Noble locations nationwide. The book was distributed by Simon & Schuster.
In January 2022, Blake began teaching at the prestigious and world-renowned Kubert School (the only accredited school devoted entirely to cartooning and comic books).
In November 2021, it was announced that Blake's international best-selling novel 'Arena Mode' would be re-released as a special edition with a new cover, under Heavy Metal Magazine's prose division. The novel will be distributed by Simon & Schuster, appearing in Barnes & Noble locations nationwide.
In October 2021, Blake make an appearance at New York City Comic Con.
In July 2021, the graphic novel 'Echoes from the Void' for the band Evanescence was released. Blake wrote a story (edited by Amy Lee) that appeared in the book. The special limited edition comic sold out, and went into a 2nd printing.
In May 2021, Papa Octopus Productions announced they were producing 'The Omega Artifact', a feature film written and co-produced by Blake Northcott, based on her novella of the same name.
In March 2021 Heavy Metal Studios, co-producing with Range Media, optioned 'The Arena Mode Saga', and announced they would be adapting the series of novels for TV.
In July 2020 Northcott made her DC Comics debut with 'Catwoman' #23; it sold out at the distributor level before it hit stores, and ten days later a 2nd printing was announced. The 2nd printing of issue #23 sold out in August 2020, and the follow-up issue, Catwoman #24, sold out before it hit stores as well.
Some of her previous comic book writing experience includes 'Synapse', which appeared in the Heavy Metal #300 All-Star edition, 'Fathom' for Aspen Comics, 'Vampirella' for Dynamite Comics, and the surprise indie hit of 2020, 'Everglade Angels' for Scout Comics.
She broke into the comic book industry as an editorial writer at Mark Millar's Millarworld ('Jupiter's Legacy', 'Kick-Ass', 'Supercrooks', 'Kingsman: The Secret Service').
In 2018 Northcott wrote the magical spy thriller, 'The North Valley Grimoire', which became the most-backed and most-funded Kickstarter novel in Canadian history (Publishing/Fiction Category), and went on to become an Amazon Bestseller in 2019 (Magic Realism Category).
In 2017 she was a semi-finalist in the James Patterson Masterclass writing contest.
From 2013-2015, Northcott's science-fiction/superhero trilogy, 'The Arena Mode Saga' became the most-backed and most-funded Kickstarter series ever in Canada (Publishing/Fiction Category) and remains one of the platform's top-performing series of prose novels worldwide.
In 2013 'Arena Mode' was on the nomination list for the prestigious BSFA (British Science Fiction Association) Best Novel award.
The Arena Mode books are international bestsellers on Amazon, and are part of the high school curriculum in the state of Florida.
Other Information
Outside of her professional career, Blake supports and promotes several charities, including the BINC Foundation, SickKids Foundation, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
As a Canadian citizen, she voted for Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada in 2015, 2019, and 2021 general elections. Though some of her family members are American, or hold dual American/Canadian citizenship, Blake only holds Canadian citizenship, and therefor cannot vote in US elections.
She is half Slovakian, but as she was born in Canada, she does not hold Slovak citizenship. As a child Blake lived in Tokyo, Japan and attended school there, but returned to Canada to complete her education.
She is a McMaster University graduate, and holds a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature, with a minor in Art History.
Aside from reading and writing, she enjoys international travel, cooking, gardening, and interior design.