America Chavez

This article is about the character in Marvel Comics. For the Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation, see America Chavez (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

America Chavez Miss America
America Chavez / Miss America. Variant cover of Women of Marvel #1 (February 2024). Art by Elena Casagrande and Jordie Bellaire.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Vengeance #1 (September 2011)
Created by	Joe Casey (writer) Nick Dragotta (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	America Chavez (birth name) America Santana (adoptive name)
Species	Alien (originally) Human mutate (retconned)
Place of origin	Utopian Parallel (originally) New York City (retconned)
Team affiliations	West Coast Avengers Young Avengers Avengers World Teen Brigade Thunderbolts Champions Defenders Ultimates A-Force
Partnerships	Kate Bishop / Hawkeye
Notable aliases	Miss America Ms. America USA
Abilities	Superhuman strength, speed, and durability Longevity / decelerated aging Hyper-cosmic awareness Inter-dimensional travel Star portal creation Energy infusion Invulnerability Time travel Star blast Flight Trained hand-to-hand combatant

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 (September 2011). America Chavez is a lesbian superhero of Latin-American origin. She has assumed the mantle of Miss America from the superheroine Madeline Joyce. She has also been a member of the A-Force, the Ultimates, and the Young Avengers at various points in her history.

America 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 (2022), portrayed by Xochitl Gomez.

Development

Concept and creation

America Chavez creator Joe Casey asserted, "I wanted to create a character that connected with an audience the same way that certain characters connected with me when I was young. Way back in 2010, I wasn't exactly sure if that audience existed for a Latina superhero, but the times have thankfully caught up with her." He later added, "When I wrote her, I gave her a fierce individuality and a healthy self-assuredness. She wasn't going to take shit from anyone, and she was powerful enough not to have to. Personally, I was fashioning her as the Muhammad Ali of the Marvel Universe, in so far as Ali was a heroic figure for reasons that went far beyond his boxing career."

Publication history

2010s

America Chavez on the variant cover of America #1 (March 2017) by Jamie McKelvie.

America Chavez debuted in Vengeance #1 (September 2011), created by writer Joe Casey and artist Nick Dragotta. She later appeared in the 2013 Young Avengers series, by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie, the 2015 A-Force series by G. Willow Wilson, Marguerite Bennett, and Jorge Molina, as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative in the 2015 Ultimates series, by Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort, the 2015 All-New Hawkeye series, by Jeff Lemire and Ramón Pérez, the 2015 Avengers one-shot, and the 2017 America series, her first solo comic book series by Gabby Rivera. Various critics praised the creation of a comic book series with America Chavez as the titular character when it was announced at the 2016 New York Comic Con. She appeared in the 2017 Secret Empire series, the 2018 West Coast Avengers series by Kelly Thompson and Stefano Caselli, the 2018 Superior Spider-Man series, and the 2019 Avengers No Road Home series.

2020s

America Chavez appeared in the 2021 America Chavez: Made in the USA series, her second solo comic book series, by Kalinda Vazquez and Carlos Gomez. She later appeared in the 2021 Marvel's Voices: Comunidades anthology series, the 2022 Hawkeye: Kate Bishop series, the Marvel Unlimited exclusive 2022 Who Is... America Chavez one-shot by Alex Segura and Carlos Gomez, the Marvel Unlimited exclusive 2022 Strange Tales: Clea, Wong & America Infinity Comic one-shot, the 2022 Marvel's Voices: Pride anthology series, the 2022 Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic anthology series, the 2022 Defenders: Beyond series, by Al Ewing, the 2022 Thunderbolts series by Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse, the 2022 Marvel's Voices: Comunidades anthology series, the 2023 Women of Marvel anthology series, and the 2023 Marvel's Voices: Pride anthology series.

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 didn't 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.

Powers and abilities

America Chavez acquired a range of superpowers after being exposed to extra-dimensional energies through experiments conducted on her. She possesses superhuman attributes, such as superhuman strength, speed, durability, and has the power of flight. Her invulnerability allows her to be bullet-proof and also makes her flame retardant. America Chavez also has the power to kick open star-shaped portals in reality, allowing her and her teammates to travel through the multiverse and into other realities. She is also able to use her star-shaped portals to travel through time. She can move beyond superhuman speed, being able to catch up to and nearly exceed the speed of light as observed by Spectrum in her light form. America Chavez has developed the ability to make an enemy burst into tiny star fragments with a punch. In moments of extreme duress, she has been shown to project a large star that releases a powerful energy blast, capable of injuring the likes of Captain Marvel. Her hyper-cosmic awareness allows her to have a metaphysical insight in space and time. She is able to increase her physical fighting ability by harnessing her inherent power from within. America Chavez does not age at a normal rate due to her increased lifespan. She is also a trained hand-to-hand combatant, owing to her powers and experience in street fighting.

Cultural impact and legacy

Critical response

A cosplayer dressed as America Chavez / Miss America

Nivea Serrao of Entertainment Weekly referred to America Chavez as a "fan favorite" character. Dana Forsythe of Paste called America Chavez a "popular hero", writing, "America Chavez is a relatively new character, first created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta in the pages of Marvel's 2011 series Vengeance. (For comparison, Doctor Strange and his apprentice Wong debuted in the pages of Strange Tales #110 all the way back in 1963.) But that hasn't stopped her from rapidly becoming a fan favorite within the broader Marvel Comics universe." Deirdre Kaye of Scary Mommy called America Chavez a "role model" and a "truly heroic" female character. Kelly Knox of IGN referred to America Chavez as "headstrong, tough, and fiercely independent", and called her a "team player and natural leader", saying, "She is power, she is grace, she will kick you in... to another dimension! America Chavez is a no-nonsense heavy-hitter that you definitely want on your side," while Alyssa Mora named her one of their "favorite Latinx heroes." George Marston of Newsarama described America Chavez as a "fan-favorite" member of the Young Avengers and the West Coast Avengers teams. Nick Cimarusti of Sideshow named America Chavez one of the "most influential Latinx figures in Marvel Comics," calling her one of the "familiar favorites". Abraham Riesman of Vulture asserted, "For all too long, the geek world was denied something it deserved — nay, needed: a comics series starring America Chavez. The character, introduced in 2011, is one of a kind: an ornery, queer Latina from another universe who can punch through dimensions. She gained a rabid following after co-starring in the incredible early-2010s Young Avengers title, but her owners at Marvel Comics only recently wised up and gave her her own, the simply titled America." Graeme Virtue of The Guardian described America Chavez as a "welcome departure from outdated superhero archetypes", saying, "Marvel has finally realised her potential as a standalone hero." Kyle Pinion of Comics Beat called America Chavez "very popular", stating that she "garnered a huge fanbase" after the Kieron Gillen-Jamie McKelvie-Matt Wilson Young Avengers comic book series. Brian Gallagher of MovieWeb described America Chavez as one of Marvel's "newest and beloved characters that have garnered major fan excitement over the last few years". Shaun Corley of Screen Rant called America Chavez a "formidable hero", writing, "America Chavez has been a fan-favorite since her debut over a decade ago, starring in multiple team books and a solo title, as well as making the leap to the MCU - an impressive feat for such a relatively new character." K.W. Colyard of Bustle referred to America Chavez as a "cult-favorite character".

Reid Carter of Popverse stated, "America is a favorite of cosplayers and fan-artists alike thanks to her fashionable assortment of patriotic jackets and her status as one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel universe." Timothy Donohoo of Comic Book Resources said, "America has been a part of predominantly critically well-received books, including the aforementioned Young Avengers and appearances in Kate Bishop's Hawkeye title. While she has had loud detractors, it bears repeating that she also rapidly amassed a relatively large and vocal fanbase. Her woes, in part, can be attributed to increased profile coinciding with a time when comics fans have increasingly dug in about "politics" in comics and a particular contingent reacting with venom to what they insist is "forced diversity". As a character, America's usually shown as a somewhat stony individual, being more observant than obnoxious and talkative. These qualities made her a strong figure within the Young Avengers, standing alongside the similarly star-spangled Patriot. Working alongside older heroes like Carol Danvers in the book The Ultimates, her admiration and respect for them was ironically seen as a legacy character done right. Her costume, much like Kamala Khan's, is also a great blend of stylish and superheroic, perfect for a modern multiversal Marvel heroine." Isabelia Herrera of The New York Times included America Chavez in their "5 Latinx Superheroes to Inspire Your New York Comic Con Look" list, writing "America Chavez was introduced in 2011 and popularized when Gabby Rivera, a queer Boricua novelist, penned the character's first solo series in 2017." Gemma Goodall of Daily Review included America Chavez in their "10 More Female Superheroes who Deserve a Movie" list, asserting, "Miss America was given her first solo comic book in March 2017 so it may be a while before we see her on the big screen but I personally can't wait for that day to come." Nathalie Zutter of Tor.com included America Chavez in their "Female Heroes of Color Who Should Get Their Own TV Show" list. Sarah Brown of Collider included America Chavez in their "30 Marvel Superheroes That Need to Join the MCU" list, calling her a "popular member of the Young Avengers roster," while Riley Bocchicchio ranked her 7th in their "10 Most Powerful Marvel A-Force Members" list. Umberto Gonzalez of TheWrap ranked America Chavez 4th in their "10 Female Superheroes Who Deserve Their Own Movie" list. Kieran Shiach of ComicsAlliance called America Chavez a "breakout fan-favorite character", while CA Staff ranked her 7th in their "Comics' Sexiest Female Characterts" list, stating, "America Chavez has one of the coolest rotating wardrobes in the Marvel Universe. And she wears each outfit with so much confidence." Lance Cartelli of GameSpot ranked America Chavez 17th in their "50 Most Important Superheroes" list, saying, "Let all her awesomeness sink in." Matthew Aguilar of ComicBook.com referred to America Chavez as a "fan favorite", writing, "Marvel has introduced several amazing characters over the years, and one of the more recent examples is America Chavez," while Lance Cartelli ranked her 21st in their "50 Most Important Superheroes Ever" list. The A.V. Club ranked America Chavez 97th in their "100 best Marvel characters" list.

Rick Stevenson of Looper referred to America Chavez as a "queer icon". Kwame Opam of The Verge asserted, "As one of a small but growing number of queer superheroes of color in comics overall, she has quickly become iconic among her loving fans, all of whom crave better representation in the medium." Michele Kirichanskaya of ComicsVerse described America Chavez as one of "Marvel's most high-profile LGBTQIA+ heroes", writing, "From the very beginning, America's story is infused with normalization of the LGBTQIA+ community, from being raised by two mothers, to her own identity as a lesbian. When it comes to LGBTQIA+ characters in fiction, their storylines often follow the same "coming out" narrative; they focus on the major angst of accepting their orientation and society's hostile reactions to it. While these storylines are important, especially to readers who are personally dealing with those situations, sometimes we simply want the same fun and dynamic adventures that straight characters automatically get. We want stories filled with laughter and romance and badassery, like America's." Carlos Gomez of Daily Trojan stated, "America's character is fascinating because she is relatively new, making her first comic-book appearance in 2011 and growing in popularity since. Part of this has to do with her being an LGBTQ+ woman of color, an often underrepresented demographic. Past that, however, Chavez is a unique and compelling character. Despite being a badass in every sense of the word, she struggles to deal with severe childhood trauma. The stories Marvel could tell with her are countless, and, hopefully, they are already setting up for that." Catrina Dennis of Remezcla found that Gabby Rivera succeeded to represent the Latinx community across America Chavez and praised the character, saying, "America's journey is likely far from over; she has already proven herself a formidable ally in team-ups, and thanks to her unique power over time and space, she can seamlessly appear in almost any storyline. Nevertheless, we will miss her comic series – not only because it was one of the few Big 2 titles with a Latin woman lead (who also happened to be LGBTQ+) but because the point of view that America holds is one of that's particularly unique within the endless pages of Marvel comics. The series let fans in on how that affected the seemingly unmovable heroine, humanizing her beyond the gruff exterior that effectively makes her far too cool for any team she happens to join." Jason Wiese of CinemaBlend called America Chavez a "teenage Latina and LGBTQ+ icon", asserting, "In only so much time since her debut, America Chavez is known as one of the more important newer Marvel characters in Marvel Comics for her cultural representation. Despite extra-dimensional origins, when she first came to Earth-616, she was taken in by a Puerto Rican family who informed her ethnic identity. Yet, she represents more than just race."

Nicole Chavez of CNN wrote, "Punch-throwing across dimensions wasn't enough for her. America Chavez is shattering barriers in the comics universe and beyond. She is the first lesbian Latina superhero with her own Marvel Comics series. [...] She isn't the typical heroine, and she isn't the Latina you usually see on screen." May Rude of Out asserted, "Chavez rose to popularity as a part of the Young Avengers team of teen superheroes, before later starring in her own comic series by Gabby Rivera. She's long been a fan favorite, especially among queer people and Latin fans." Brian Truitt of USA Today stated that America Chavez is one of the characters "who deserve their own movie", saying, "this Latin-American teen lesbian superheroine could be a more groundbreaking choice. She's bulletproof and super-strong, isn't big on old-school good guys, and takes no guff. Miss America just sounds like a great movie title — or maybe she takes over the star-spangled shield if Marvel needs a new Captain America one day." Matt Kim of Inverse called America Chavez a "fan favorite", writing, "America has become an icon among socially progressive comic readers as a queer, Latinx character, but it's her attitude as a punch-first, questions-later kind of superhero that has enamored her to fans as the Marvel Universe's most gung-ho superhero." Zack Krajnyak of Screen Rant referred to the potential inclusion of Chavez in the MCU as "incredibly significant", stating that the addition of Miss America a "significant milestone" due to Chavez being a Latin-American LGBTQ character, and stated, "Many have hoped that America Chavez will play a large part in the MCU's future - and with the rumored inclusion of fellow Young Avengers Wiccan in WandaVision and Kate Bishop in Hawkeye, using the character as deep connective tissue seems increasingly likely. Should she truly make her entrance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, much will be resting on America Chavez's shoulders. But if she is anything like her on-page counterpart, this multiverse-traversing powerhouse will light up the screen and then some." Michael Rizi of Queerty included America Chavez in their "6 LGBTQ Marvel Characters Who Deserve Their Own Shows Now" list. Sam Damshenas of Gay Times included America Chavez in their "13 Queer Superheroes We Need To See In The Marvel Cinematic Universe" list, asserting, "If you've seen Avengers: Infinity War, you'd understand why she'd be a perfect fit for the sequel."

Mey Rude of Autostraddle ranked America Chavez 1st in their "7 LGBT Women Who Need to Appear in the MCU Immediately" list, stating, "Marvel, you have this fan-favorite, super dynamic, hilarious character with a super interesting story and the best fashion in all of comics," and ranked her 8th in their "11 Female Superheroes I Wish Marvel Would Make Movies About" list, saying, "This Latina lesbian was my clear favorite character in the recent Young Avengers comic also starring the previously mentioned Hawkeye. She may be a little rough around the edges when you first get to know her, but when she wants to be, she can be as smooth as butter." Ashley C. Ford of BuzzFeed ranked America Chavez 1st in their "12 Kick-Ass Gay Women In Comics And Graphic Novels" list, while Pablo Valdivia ranked her 11th in their "15 Incredible Latino Superheroes You Need To Know" list. Jeremy Brown of Game Rant ranked America Chavez 4th in their "11 Best LGBTQ+ Marvel Characters" list. Gavia Baker-Whitelaw of The Daily Dot ranked America Chavez 4th in their "Top 12 LGBTQ superheroes in DC and Marvel comics" list and stated that the character gained a "cult following" after her reappearance in New Avengers, asserting, "She's a super-strong badass with the ability to fly and travel to other dimensions—not to mention she has one of the most cosplay-able costumes in the Marvel universe," and 10th in their "Top 33 Female Superheroes Of All Time" list. Cameron Glover of The Mary Sue called America Chavez a "fan favorite", while Michele Kirichanskaya ranked her 6th in their "8 Young, New Heroes the Marvel Cinematic Universe Should Focus on Next" list, saying, "As Marvel's first queer Latin superhero to star in her own series, America Chavez symbolizes long-needed representation for various members of the comic book-loving community. An out and proud Latina lesbian superhero, America Chavez has received an outstanding amount of love and support for her character, including acclaimed author Gabby Rivera, who was Marvel's first Latin LGBTQ+ author, as well the writer for America Chavez's comics book series, America."

Screen Rant ranked America Chavez 1st in their "Marvel: 10 Incredible Latinx Characters" list, 2nd in their "10 Best Teen Marvel Heroes" list, and 3rd in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Young Avengers" list, and included her in their "17 LGBTQ Characters From Marvel And DC Comics Who Need To Be In The Movies" list. Comic Book Resources ranked her 2nd in their "10 Greatest Marvel Heroes Who Draw Power From Alternate Dimensions" list, 2nd in their "13 Most Powerful Hispanic Heroes In Marvel Comics" list, 2nd in their "10 Most Powerful Young Avengers" list, 4th in their "10 Best Written Female Characters In Marvel Comics" list, 5th in their "20 Strongest Female Superheroes" list, 8th in their "Top Costume Designs Of The Last Decade" list, 9th in their "Marvel: The 15 Strongest New Heroes" list, 10th in their "Marvel's Strongest Cosmic Heroes" list, and 10th in their "Marvel: 10 Best Street Level Heroes" list.

Impact

• In 2016, America Chavez was compared to the protagonist of a one-shot in development by writer Joe Casey (who created Chavez) and artist Dustin Nguyen for Image Comics, with several journalists stating that Chavez served as an inspiration for the comic book publisher's new character owing to their similarities. Several years later, further comparisons were made when All-America Comix #1 (July 2020) was released, with additional journalists asserting that America Chavez inspired Joe Casey and Dustin Nguyen for the creation of Image Comics' new character.
• In 2017, Chavez starred as the titular character in a comic book series titled America (2017-2018). She became the first Latin-American LGBT character of Marvel Comics to star in a solo comic book series as the eponymous character.
  • American actress Gina Rodriguez stated that she would like to audition for the role of America Chavez and called herself a fan of the character. Argentine-American actress Stephanie Beatriz also expressed interest in portraying Chavez on Twitter. The character subsequently received significant press coverage in October after Beatriz dressed up as the character during Halloween.
• In 2018, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor sent a letter to the America series writer Gabby Rivera, notably stating, "You have created a powerful female character in the production of America, and I know you will forever inspire many individuals by continuing to invent America Chavez's story. Indeed, it is important to remind readers to take time to honor themselves and embrace their differences as strengths."
• In 2022, the comic book America Chavez: Made in the USA #1 (March 3, 2021) appeared as an easter egg in a display case in the final episode of the miniseries She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
• In 2023, the newly acquired abilities of DC Comics' Power Girl were noted for their similarities to those of America Chavez by several journalists.
  • America Chavez placed 3rd in a popularity contest held by Multiversity Comics where readers elected their "Favorite Latin American Superhero."

Accolades

The America series was nominated for Outstanding Comic Book at the 29th GLAAD Media Awards. America Chavez was nominated for Best First Appearance at the 2022 Golden Issue Awards.

Literary reception

Volumes

America (2017)

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, America TPB Vol 1 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez was the 30th best selling graphic novel in October 2017. America #1 was the 37th best selling comic book in March 2017.

Kat Vendetti of ComicsVerse gave America #1 a score of 95%, asserting, "America #1 is full of heart from start to finish. This creative team gives us an America Chavez who is multitudinous and recognizable, and her debut issue is a lively and promising start. This is the comic we've all been waiting for. America #1 lives up to all it promised: an unapologetically queer Latina superhero punching a star-shaped hole into a universe where she shines like the star she has always been. Matthew Aguilar of ComicBook.com gave America #1 a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, asserting, "At last! Everyone's favorite no-nonsense powerhouse, America Chavez, gets her own series! Written by critically acclaimed YA novelist Gabby Rivera (Juliet Takes A Breath) and drawn by all-star artist Joe Quinones (Howard the Duck), Marvel Comics' brand new America series shines a solo spotlight on the high-octane and hard-hitting adventures of the one and only America Chavez! America has always been uncontestably awesome, and as the newly appointed leader of the Ultimates, she's now officially claimed her place as the preeminent butt-kicker of the Marvel Universe! But while leading a team of heroes and punching out big bads is great and all, it doesn't really leave much time for self-discovery... So what's a super-powered teenager do when she's looking for a little fulfillment? She goes to college!" Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave the first comic book 8.5 out of 10, saying, "If there were any doubts that Miss America truly needed her own comic, America #1 should put them to rest. This new series features an engaging take on the adventurous America Chavez, one that emphasizes goofy humor and grounded character drama over superheroics. Anyone who enjoys The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl or Hawkeye will feel right at home here."

America Chavez: Made in the USA (2021)

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, America Chavez: Made in the USA #1 was the 18th top advance-reordered comic book by retailers between February 1 to February 7, 2021.

Joe Grunenwald of Comics Beat stated, "As far as debuts go, America Chavez: Made in the USA #1 is damn near flawless. A strong script from an up-and-coming talent combine with strong line art and colors (and, of course, the always-solid work of letterer Travis Lanham) for an incredibly satisfying and enjoyable reading experience. If the remaining issues of this five-issue miniseries can keep up this level of quality we may be looking at an early contender for one of the best Big 2 books of the year." Sam Stone of Comic Book Resources called America Chavez: Made in the USA #1 a "solid opening issue", saying, "Presented, more or less, as a fresh jumping-on point for readers that may not be all that familiar with America Chavez, the opening issue to the character's new comic book miniseries balances action and introspection with a story that examines the superhero's past as it forges her future. Vasquez's scripting especially excels when it delves into her protagonist's psyche, with the present-day sequences more effective than the flashback's retread of her origins. Vasquez finds an effective creative partner in Gomez, bringing the power and responsibility close to home, with the young hero's fight only poised to become more personal as the miniseries continues." Robert Reed of Newsarama gave America Chavez: Made in the USA #1 a grade of 8 out of 10, writing, "The draw to America Chavez: Made in the USA is the character herself, and her past, which hasn't always been rendered with real detail. The team of Vasquez, Gómez, Aburtov, and Lanham creates an intimate look at America's first night with her found family, and sets the foundation for what should be an emotional rollercoaster of a limited series."

Other versions

Age of Ultron

An alternate version of America Chavez appears in the "Age of Ultron" storyline. A picture of Chavez is present in one of Nick Fury's safe houses.

House of M

An alternate version of America Chavez appears in the "House of M" storyline. This version is a member of the Young Avengers and fights the Sentinels.

All New Hawkeye

An alternate version of America Chavez appears in a possible future in the Marvel Universe. An older Chavez is a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and has taken on the mantle of Captain America.

In other media

Television

America Chavez / Miss America appears in the Marvel Rising series of short films and television specials, voiced by Cierra Ramirez.

Film

• America Chavez / Miss America appears in Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, voiced by Cierra Ramirez. This version's home dimension was attacked by the Kree, which led to her mothers teleporting her to another dimension for her safety before they were killed by Hala the Accuser. Chavez went on to work at an auto garage before reluctantly becoming involved in Squirrel Girl's efforts to rescue her friend Ms. Marvel from their version of Hala the Accuser and eventually found the Secret Warriors.

• America Chavez / Miss America was originally intended to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), depicted as a sorcerer's apprentice. However, this idea was eventually scrapped, owing to the film releasing before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (see below) as a result of delays.

• America Chavez appears in the MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), portrayed by Xochitl Gomez. This version is a supernatural being from the Utopian Parallel with the ability to travel the multiverse. After being attacked by the Scarlet Witch, who is corrupted by the Darkhold and seeks to acquire her powers, Chavez eventually ends up in the "prime" 616 universe and joins forces with Doctor Strange to help the Scarlet Witch break free from the Darkhold's corruption. Afterwards, Chavez chooses to live in the universe and joins the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

Video games

• America Chavez / Miss America appears via the "Marvel's Women of Power" DLC in Pinball FX 2.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as a playable character in Marvel Contest of Champions.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Academy, voiced by Sandra Espinoza.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as a playable character in Marvel Strike Force.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as an assist character in Marvel Future Revolution.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears as a playable card in Marvel Snap.

Merchandise

• In 2018, Hasbro released several America Chavez / Miss America dolls inspired by the Marvel Rising incarnation of the character.
• In 2022, Disney released an America Chavez / Miss America doll inspired by the MCU incarnation of the character. Hasbro released an America Chavez / Miss America action figure inspired by the MCU incarnation of the character, as part of the Marvel Legends action figure line. Lego released an America Chavez / Miss America Lego minifigure inspired by the MCU incarnation of the character. Funko released an America Chavez / Miss America Funko Pop figure inspired by the MCU incarnation of the character.
• In 2023, Disney released an America Chavez / Miss America pair of ear headbands inspired by the MCU incarnation of the character.

Miscellaneous

• America Chavez / Miss America appears in the board game Marvel United, published by CMON Limited.
• America Chavez / Miss America appears in the web series Marvel Rising: Ultimate Comics, voiced by Cierra Ramirez.
• The MCU incarnation of America Chavez appears as a meet and greet character at Disney California Adventure.

Collected editions

Title	Material collected	Published date	ISBN
America Vol. 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez	America #1-6	October 18, 2017	978-1302908812
America Vol. 2: Fast and Fuertona	America #7-12	April 11, 2018	978-1302908829
America Chavez: Made in the USA	America Chavez: Made in the USA #1-5	November 3, 2021	978-1302924454

See also

• Miss America (Madeline Joyce)

External links

• America Chavez on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki