Broken Frontier

Like any great hero, Terrance Griep has his own secret identity; he is also known as Tommy “The SpiderBaby” Saturday, an identity he uses for his role with Midwest Pro Wrestling and NeoPro Wrestling.

When he isn’t facing his nemeses in the ring, Terrance is handling some of the writing chores for Blue Water Productions, which publish titles including Legend Of Isis, Judo Girl, Victoria's Secret Service, Orion The Hunter and more through Alias Enterprises.

Jason: G’day Terrance and welcome to Industrial Evolution. Given your background in the ring, I think I will call you “Sir”.

Terrance:  Good idea.

Jason: Yes, Sir! How did you get into pro wrestling?

Terrance:  Strangely... although I think that’s how anyone gets into pro wrestling. I was actually scouring the local, I’m Minneapolis-based, television market for writing assignments. That search yielded a career as Midwest Pro Wrestling’s color commentator which evolved, or devolved, into the actual wrestling.

Jason: Where did the inspiration come from for your ringside personality, The SpiderBaby?

Terrance:  The name itself came to me as a bolt from the blue years before I got into wrestling. 

The SpiderBaby refers to himself as the World’s Meanest Buddhist and has anointed himself the universe’s arbiter of bad karma. Ultimately, he’s a character whose only concern is the moment. On my best days, I’m a merely-serviceable wrestler, but I’m proud of my rapport with the fans: some people root for The SpiderBaby, most root against him, but no one goes to the bathroom during his matches.

Jason: Can I ask if the wrestling is real or fake?

Terrance:  It's not a competition. To call it fake is an irredeemable insult.

Jason: Sorry (Ducks in case of an oncoming clothesline!) … Has any editor ever been silly enough to call you chasing a script? Have they ever done so while you were in the ring?

Terrance:  I’m a professional writer as well as a professional wrestler, the operative word in both jobs being “professional”.  Clients who extend that courtesy to me never have to chase me for anything.

Jason: Fair enough. Could SpiderBaby ever turn up in a comic?

Terrance: He could. I’ve talked very vaguely with an artist and a publisher about doing something with his life away from the ring, which is far more interesting than his in-ring adventures. That said, I’m swamped with non-spec work, so that’s where my current priorities lie.

Jason: What is the difference between comic book fans and wrestling fans?

Terrance: Both are generally wonderful. I love both groups, and I owe both a lot. And please don’t ask The SpiderBaby, because he always brings up hygiene...or the lack of it.

Jason: Ha! When and how did you move into writing comics? What were some of the books you worked on before your work for Blue Water Productions?

Terrance: Writing came before wrestling, well before. I essentially kept pestering DC’s editorial staff until they tapped out and gave me some work. I’m one of several writers on DC’s Scooby-Doo. I also currently write for Heroic Publishing, Big Bang Comics, and many others.

Jason: Give me the 1-minute pitch on why people should pick up your current book, Victoria’s Secret Service—and don't say that it is because you will pile-drive them if they don't!

Terrance: All the spy stuff is there: plot twists, disguises, camouflaged gadgets. All the bad girl stuff is there: beautiful women who know how to boot booty. What I’m proudest of, and what I think would most interest me as a reader, is the dialogue between the teammates and how their relationships evolve. Publisher Darren Davis deserves the lion’s share of whatever credit is due as he dreamed up the concept and the titular characters.

Jason: Where does your writing passion lie? Which titles have you most enjoyed writing and what is your dream writing job in comics?

Terrance: I try to find something in every project to make it one which I enjoy passionately... therefore, I’m constantly living my comics-writing dreams.

Jason: Do you do any writing outside of comics?

Terrance: Oh, sure. A fair amount of reporting, commentating, and humoring for all sorts of magazines, some of which are Minneapolis-based and some of which are national.

I’ve also written for TV and nationally-syndicated radio. These endeavors bring breadth and depth to my comics scripting that couldn’t otherwise be there, so I consider them vital to my comics career. 

Your visitors are very welcome to check my stuff out at www.terrancegriep.com.

Jason: Thanks for dropping in!

Terrance:  Thank you for your flattering interest, Jason. 

Next time: more Alias goodness!