Beginning with the strip for April 8, 1985, Matera began his two-decade run drawing "Steve Roper and Mike Nomad", which had been titled simply "Steve Roper" from 1947 to 1969. The series originated as the comedy strip "Big Chief Wahoo" in 1936, but supporting character Steve Roper edged into the title in 1944, with the dramatic adventure renamed "Chief Wahoo and Steve Roper". Wahoo was written out in 1947, and Nomad was added in 1956. Matera additionally wrote the final year of "Steve Roper and Mike Nomad", following writer John Saunders' death in November 2003. The final strip ran December 26, 2004.