THE MATRON #1 / Created by DAVID BOWLES & DREW EDWARDS / Written by DAVID BOWLES & DREW EDWARDS / Art and Inks by MONICA GALLAGHER / Colors by HARRY SAXON / Letters by STEVEN KOK / Published by IPI COMICS

The year is 1975. The place is Averno County, deep in the Texas Hill Country. It was here that a family and a community were torn apart when revelations regarding the Kernek family came to light. Rozina Krenek, the matriarch of a clan of cannibals, was gunned down by the county sheriff, despite her being his distant relative.

Nearly five decades later, they still tell tales of the woman now known as The Matron. It is a cross that has to be born by her surviving granddaughter and great-granddaughter. However, when times grow tough as winter draws near, there are whispers that the Matron may return…

There is a certain subclass of horror comic that seems to be a horror comic because the writer couldn’t get it produced as a horror movie because it was too much like what came before. At a casual glance, The Matron #1 might seem to be of that ilk. Mention a story involving cannibals in Texas and many will dismiss it as a Texas Chainsaw Massacre rip-off. The irony is that The Matron is much more authentic to the Texas setting, even ignoring that TCM was based on a serial killer from Wisconsin and The Matron is based on Slavic mythology.

Like all great horror, there’s a lot of social commentary amid the flashbacks showing The Matron in action. There’s racial drama, generational divide drama, and class drama. This, coupled with the slow introduction to our cast, gives the whole thing more depth than is typical of most slasher horror comics. Then again, given the writers involved have been nominated for an Eisner and a Ringo respectively, this is hardly surprising.

The artwork is not quite as strong, though it is serviceable. Monica Gallagher does a great job of giving each character a distinctive look, so there’s no confusion as to who is who as we get to know the cast. The inks are also solid throughout. Unfortunately, with her open designs combined with the bright colors used by Harry Saxon, the whole thing looks far lighter than it should and the deaths lose some impact as a result.

Overall, I think horror fans will find a lot to like about The Matron. The script is smart, with some wonderful bonus features at the end of the comic. The art, while seemingly meant to visually contrast with the story to the point of contrariness, does not distract from it. If noting else, it’s nice to see a story where the serial killer isn’t just another weird guy who doesn’t get out much.

The Matron #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.