Tag Archives: A-Force

Meet America Chavez, Marvel’s Queer Latina Superhero

Marvel’s hottest new superheroine is a lesbian Latina named America Chavez. She attends college by day and saves the universe by night.

America was born and raised by two mothers in an all-female society. After her mothers sacrificed themselves to save the multiverse, America took the responsibility upon her shoulders.

She appeared in a run of Young Avengers in 2013 and, after finding an unexpected following, she returned to titles such as Ultimates and A-Force. She is finally getting her own series.

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Her inclusion is the latest in a string of rebooted, diverse Marvel Characters. RiRi Williams is the new fifteen-year-old black, female Iron Man. A Muslim teenager named Kamala Khan became Ms. Marvel. Marvel has introduced a black Captain America, an Afrolatino Spiderman and a female Thor.

Marvel tapped queer puertorriqueña author Gabby Rivera to write the comics. Although Rivera is new to comics, she made waves with her Young Adult novel Juliet Takes a Breath, which centered around a queer Puerto Rican girl.

When asked about America’s powers, Rivera said,

America doesn’t know how powerful she is, but she’s gonna find out.”

As an alt-reality version of Ms. America, America Chavez possesses a wide range of powers, from teleportation to flight to interdimensional travel. She can kick someone so hard that they leave earth’s atmosphere; when she stomps, earthquakes erupt;  and bullets bounce off her skin. She also has super speed.

Rivera mused about what it means to be American, queer and Latina after the 2016 election. She said, “I am still learning how to navigate [America Chavez’s] world, but to not include elements and emotions of what is going on would be a huge missed opportunity on my part — on our part. But it’s also a balance between connecting with people and alienating people. ‘Cause Latinos voted for Trump too. My family voted for Trump.”

You won’t find America Chavez in a skimpy skintight costume, unlike many of Marvel’s superheroines; the cover features her in a sweatshirt and gym shorts. She’s as practical as she is badass. And she’s here to show that there’s more than one way to be an American.

Pick up the first America Chavez comic in 2017.

Marvel To Debut New Comic With Queer Woman Of Colour Taking Centre Stage

So this just happened – Marvel announced (at New York Comic-Con) that Ms. America – a.k.a. America Chavez (a character who debuted in Young Avengers and A-Force (Marvel’s all-female Avengers initiative) – is going solo in 2017 with an ongoing Marvel title.

The series will be called America, and will also be Marvel’s first solo-run about a lesbian superhero.

https://twitter.com/Marvel/status/784479666799308804

America – who was born on the planet Utopia (another dimension to ours) to her two mothers – has a set of badass superpowers; include flight, bulletproof skin, super strength, and inter-dimensional travel.

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And because her first name is America, she chose Ms. America as a crime-fighting identity.

What is great about America, is she is more confident, and outspoken than other Marvel heroes her age.

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America Chavez has already developed relationships with many of Marvel’s more well-known characters, including Hellcat, Squirrel Girl, and Loki.