WHO IS THE MATRON?
It’s been 46 years since the death of Rozina Krenek, aka The Matron, a cannibalistic serial killer who plagued Central Texas for many decades.
Krenek’s granddaughter Zina, a middle-aged waitress, has tried to find peace despite her trauma and to give a stable life to her family. But on the very anniversary of her grandmother’s death, Zina loses her job and home to gentrification. Dark forces stir within her, and she takes up the old ax, cloak, and unforgettable mask that are her birthright. The Matron is back.
characters
WHO DARES OPPOSE THE MATRON?
What truly elevates a slasher are the flawed heroes that try to stop the murder spree. Here’s the unlikely team.
Rozina “Roz” Krenek
Though as granddaughter of Rozina “Zina” Krenek she belongs to the Czech-Mexican Krenek clan, Roz wants to walk a different path. She is studying anthropology at the Ascuas satellite campus of UTSA.
Samantha “Sam” Maldonado
A member of the family that has controlled politics and law enforcement in Averno County for generations, Sam is a student of criminal law at the Ascuas satellite campus of UTSA. Her dream is to join the FBI.
Dr. Ezekiel “Zeke” Gavin
Known as the Sheriff of Hell, Dr. Gavin is the only person to ever survive an attack by the Matron. He went on to become an FBI profiler, author, and media personality. His over-the-top cowboy persona hides deep cowardice … and other secrets.
FREE! The prologue to Punching Death
As part of the backstory for The Matron, we have established that Dr. Ezekiel Gavin wrote a bestselling memoir in 1985 about being the “final boy” at the end of the first Matron’s reign of terror. We are quite thrilled to be able to gift you the prologue of that fictional book as a PDF. In setting up his true-crime masterpiece, Zeke narrates the events that led up to his encounter and what happened right after he escaped the Matron’s clutches, filling in details that many fans will find fascinating. Click on the image!
THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
The Matron takes place in the fictional town of Ascuas, in Averno County, just thirty minutes from San Antonio.
Like many small towns in Central Texas, Ascuas was settled in the late 19th century by a blend of mostly Mexican, Czech, and German families. For more than a hundred years, its residents led simple lives in their isolated, tight-knit community. But real-estate visionary Nick Maldonado has changed all that with his gentrifying ventures—and awakened the wrath of the Matron as a result.
TRADITIONS AND FOLKLORE
After a forty-year reign of terror and five decades of legendary memory, the Matron has become a part of Hill Country lore.
Perhaps one of the most famous bits of local tradition is the song school children sing about the coming of snow to Central Texas:
When snow and dark
cover these hills,
to slash through homes
with a wind that kills—
That’s the bite of her ax,
the chill of her breath.
The Matron is winter.
The Matron is death.
What sets this title apart?
The Matron offers a unique spin on the slasher genre.
Authentic Texas Horror
David and Drew are both native Texans. They strive to create horror that arises from real tensions in our state and that is deeply rooted in place and in the intersection of cultures—Czech, Mexican, German, Anglo American, etc.—that make Central Texas especially unique.
Slavic Myth
A lot of the aesthetics, folklore, supernatural elements, and peculiar narrative twists in THE MATRON arise from Slavic mythology broadly and Czech legend in particular. Few other horror properties in the US explore this particular niche, and we think that readers will find that texture compelling and enjoyable.
Emotional Heft
Family and community dynamics are the beating heart of this IP, and the ties that bind folks together get severed in shocking ways that have real consequences. Dr. Ezekiel Gavin, the lone survivor of the first Matron, has been grappling with the fallout from his encounter for so long, his will to fight may have been extinguished. THE MATRON also contains a difficult love story between Roz Krenek and Sam Maldonado, who find that the damage their families have caused each other may be an unsurmountable obstacle for their relationship.
Portfolio
MATRON ARTWORK
Covers, sequentials, etc. Quick overview
Intrigued? Pre-order on Kickstarter!
Ready to travel to Ascuas and see the Matron in all her wintry glory? Get early access to the first miniseries plus a whole lot of incredible swag and engagement with the creative team.
The Creative Team
David Bowles
Co-creator and Co-author
David is an award-winning Mexican American author and translator from South Texas. Among his more than forty books are two graphic novel series: the Eisner-nominated Clockwork Curandera and the critically hailed Tales of the Feathered Serpent. He has worked on multiple TV and film projects, including Victor & Valentino (Cartoon Network), Monsters and Mysteries in America (Discovery), and the Mexica mini-series (Amazon / Amblin). David presently serves as the president of the Texas Institute of Letters and co-editor-in-chief of Chispa Comics.
Drew Edwards
Co-creator and Co-author
Drew is an award-winning comic book writer, horror film historian, music journalist, rock promoter, and showman extraordinaire. While he is best known as the writer and creator of the Best of Austin winning and twice Ringo-nominated underground comic book series, Halloween Man, thousands also tune in each week to hear him as a cast member of the horror movie podcast, Castle of Horror. Drew has helped bridge the horror and comic culture worlds within Austin’s legendary music scene with his annual “Punk vs. Rockabilly” showcase during SXSW.
Monica Gallagher
Illustrator
Monica is a writer and illustrator making comics with a positive, feminist spin. Among her many projects are Assassin Roommate (which won a Ringo award for Best Hero in 2018), and BOO! It’s Sex with Danielle Corsetto. She’s the co-writer/co-creator of Comixology’s The Black Ghost series with Alex Segura, and she adapted and illustrated the romance novel Anti-Stepbrother for Crazy Maple Studio. Monica also self-publishes the series Bonnie N. Collide, Nine to Five, and The Biggest Bigfoot. She lives in Austin with her husband.
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Jane Doe
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Do you sometimes have the feeling that you’re running into the same obstacles over and over again? Many of my conflicts have the same feel.
John Doe
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Do you sometimes have the feeling that you’re running into the same obstacles over and over again? Many of my conflicts have the same feel.
Mark Smith
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Do you sometimes have the feeling that you’re running into the same obstacles over and over again? Many of my conflicts have the same feel.
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