America Chavez
America Chavez is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Joe Casey and artist Nick Dragotta, the character first appeared in Vengeance #1. Chavez is a lesbian superhero of Latin-American origin. She has assumed the mantle of Miss America from the superheroine Madeline Joyce. Over the course of her publication history, she has been a member of several superhero teams, including A-Force, the Ultimates, and the Young Avengers.
The character was initially depicted as originating from the Utopian Parallel, a dimension outside time and space. She was a Starling of the Fuertona species, an alien race typically possessing supernatural abilities. Her origin was later retconned, revealing that she was born on Earth to scientists attempting to cure her of a disease. The Utopian Parallel was redefined as a medical facility where she underwent experimentation, which ultimately led to the development of her powers. Chavez's signature power is the creation of star-shaped portals that enable her to travel across space and time.
Chavez has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes, being labelled as the publisher's first Latin-American LGBT character to star in a comic book series as the eponymous character. Since her original introduction in comics, the character has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products, including video games, animated television series, and merchandise. The character made her live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, portrayed by Xochitl Gomez.
Concept and creation
, the creator of America Chavez, expressed his desire to create a character that would resonate with audiences as deeply as certain figures had with him in his youth. Reflecting on 2010, he admitted uncertainty about whether a substantial audience existed for a Latina superhero, though he is gratified that the times have evolved to embrace her. He further remarked that he imbued America Chavez with a distinctive individuality and robust self-confidence, envisioning her as a figure of formidable strength and resolve. In his view, she was crafted as "the Muhammad Ali of the Marvel Universe", embodying heroism that transcends traditional roles, much like Ali’s impact extended beyond boxing.Publication history
Marvel Universe
2010s
America Chavez debuted in Vengeance #1, created by writer Joe Casey and artist Nick Dragotta. She subsequently appeared in several Marvel series, including Young Avengers by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie, A-Force by G. Willow Wilson, Marguerite Bennett, and Jorge Molina, Ultimates by Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative, the Avengers one-shot, Secret Empire, West Coast Avengers by Kelly Thompson and Stefano Caselli, Superior Spider-Man, and Avengers No Road Home.2020s
In the 2020s, Chavez appeared in various titles, including Marvel's Voices: Comunidades, Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Marvel's Voices: Pride, Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic, Defenders: Beyond, by Al Ewing, Thunderbolts by Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse, Marvel's Voices: Comunidades, Women of Marvel, Marvel's Voices: Pride, and the Venom War: It's Jeff one-shot by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru.Chavez has also starred in her own comic books. She headlined America, her first solo comic book series by Gabby Rivera. The announcement of the series with Chavez as the titular character at the 2016 New York Comic Con was met with praise from various critics. She returned in America Chavez: Made in the USA, her second solo comic book series, by Kalinda Vazquez and Carlos Gomez. Chavez appeared in several digital-exclusive releases on Marvel Unlimite as well, including Who Is... America Chavez by Alex Segura and Carlos Gómez, and Strange Tales: Clea, Wong & America ''Infinity Comic''.
Other universes
Alternate versions of America Chavez have appeared in other Marvel publications, such as All-New Hawkeye by Jeff Lemire and Ramón Pérez, Ultimates, What If... Kitty Pryde Stole the Phoenix Force?, and Ultimate Endgame.Fictional character biography
America Chavez believed she was raised by her mothers in the Utopian Parallel, a reality that is out of time and in the presence of the being known as the Demiurge, whose presence she credited with imbuing her with superpowers. In her memory, when Chavez was approximately six years old, the Utopian Parallel was threatened by destruction with black holes. Chavez's mothers sacrificed themselves to seal the black holes, resulting in their particles being scattered across the Multiverse itself. Wanting to prove herself as a hero and knowing Utopia did not require salvation, Chavez ran away from her home and her responsibilities. She traveled across different realities, eventually adopted the moniker of Miss America, and began covertly acting as a superhero.Chavez eventually joined the Teen Brigade and served as co-leader with Ultimate Nullifier. With the Teen Brigade, she freed the In-Betweener from the government confinement center, "Groom Lake Adjacent" in Nevada. With information from the In-Betweener, The Teen Brigade set out to prevent the Young Masters Evil from disrupting a delicate balance between chaos and order. To stop the Young Masters from recruiting Kid Loki, Chavez broke into the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but Loki used the Screaming Idol to send her to the Sixth Dimension. There she fought Tiboro, and was later rescued by the Last Defenders, She-Hulk, and Daimon Hellstrom, under the direction of the In-Betweener. She rejoined her teammates in Latveria where they fought the Braak'nhüd, Young Masters and Doctor Doom. The battle was ended when Ultimate Nullifier shot the In-Betweener. While the smoke cleared, the Teen Brigade covertly departed. Chavez would later part ways with the Teen Brigade due to "musical differences".
After leaving the Teen Brigade, Chavez eventually traveled to Earth-212 and was later approached by the teenage trickster Loki. He pretends to try to persuade Chavez into killing Wiccan for the good of the Multiverse. Disgusted with the proposition, Chavez fights with Loki and decides to protect Wiccan. On Earth-616, Chavez stopped Loki from magically attacking Wiccan in his home. Hulkling intervened, but America and Loki quickly fled with little explanation. Chavez later rescued Hulkling, Wiccan, and Loki from the Mother, an inter-dimensional parasite awoken by one of Loki's spells. They all escape aboard Marvel Boy's ship, and aided them in the final face-off with Mother's forces in Central Park. Later, in Young Avengers #15, she reveals offhandedly to the team that she is not interested in men, and writes off her one-time kiss with the male teen superhero Ultimate Nullifier as experimentation. She later begins dating Lisa, an EMT, and dances with her to "close a hole in the universe." She also had a crush on Lady Katherine of Bishop, an alternate version of Kate Bishop, and they have a close relationship.
During the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, Chavez appears as a member of the A-Force, an all-female team of Avengers. Her fans formed a gang called La Chiquitas and changed their hair to Chavez symbols, including fan Sydney Walker. When the island nation of Arcadia is attacked by a megalodon, Chavez throws the shark across the Shield, the wall that separates Arcadia's borders, thus breaking the laws of King Doom. She is subsequently arrested and sentenced to spend the rest of her life protecting the Shield.
After the events of Secret Wars, Chavez joined the newly formed Ultimates team after being invited by Blue Marvel. Chavez also attends Sotomayor University as a student, where she also shares a class with former Young Avenger teammate Prodigy.
In the series America Chavez: Made in the USA, what Chavez knew about her background was called into question. Her previously unknown sister, Catalina, forced her to remember that her mothers were not aliens, but human doctors Amalia and Elena Chavez. The doctors took their daughters to a private island called the Utopian Parallel to attempt to cure the disease Edges Syndrome, but later discovered their benefactor had evil plans for all the girls brought there. Chavez gained her superpowers across experiments conducted on her as a child, when she was exposed to extra-dimensional energies. The doctors sacrificed themselves to free America, Catalina, and the other girls, but only America escaped. She was later adopted by the Santanas and took the name of America Santana. Catalina suggested that America made up the alien universe story as a coping mechanism.