Meet Miss America: Who is America Chavez, and Why We Should All Love Her!

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be in cinemas in a matter of weeks, and it’s safe to say that everyone is very excited. Along with the Sorcerer Supreme himself, there are a couple of other major players involved. While some of them will be familiar already to most people watching, there are a few new faces on the scene. One of these is Miss America herself, America Chavez.

While she has only been on our pages for a little over a decade, she quickly became a fan favourite in the comics, and for good reason. If you’re new to America Chavez, we’re here to give you some background on the dimension-hopping hero.

It’s Miss America Chavez To You

The first time we saw America Chavez in the role of Miss America was in the 2011 miniseries Vengeance. As part of the Teen Brigade, she is responsible for breaking the In-Betweener out of area 51. It’s an okay introduction to the straight-talking, dimension jumping teen. We get to see more of America Chavez in the 2013 run of Young Avengers and it’s an amazing run. She really comes into her own here and as part of the team.

America has also been part of several other teams, such as The Ultimates, Young Avengers, A-Force, and West Coast Avengers, all before getting her own ongoing series. While her series hasn’t been the biggest hit, it serves to give us some background information as to who America Chavez is.

Punch It!

So who is America Chavez? What’s her story? First, she was born in the Utopian Parallel, a reality that exists outside of this time. As a child, the Utopian Parallel was threatened and her mothers, Amalia and Elena Chavez, sacrificed themselves to save the parallel. With their particles scattered across the multiverse, America ran away in order to live up to the reputation of her moms, as the Utopian Parallel no longer needed a hero. Chavez takes it upon herself to become a hero and eventually settles in Earth-616 after a run-in with Loki.

This story was then changed slightly in the limited series Made in the USA. A young America Chavez is found drifting in the waters of Jones Beach, New York by the Santana family. The family decides it is best to take her in, and they raise her in their Washington Heights home. After some tensions and a few years away, America is forced back by a mysterious event, and this is where things take a turn.

A mysterious, not-so-strange stranger reveals the truth to America. Her mothers weren’t reality-saving heroes, but some of the finest medical minds in the world. A genetic disease led to them taking America to a top-secret, high-end medical facility where experimental treatment is the real cause for her powers. After a journey of self-discovery and a trip down memory lane, America is finally able to figure out who she is and what she wants.

America Chavez also finds time for romance during her heroic deeds and has been in a few relationships. As the first openly gay Latin-American character with her own series, her status as an icon has been grounded in both her skill and what she represents.

Ticket to the Multiverse

America Chavez is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. She has incredible cosmic powers, and these all tie in nicely with the multiverse events currently taking place. Not only does she have superhuman strength, invulnerability, flight, and a smart mouth, but she can do some other pretty cool things.

One of her greatest abilities that will be essential to the multiverse shenanigans is her ability to create star portals for inter-dimensional travel. America is always a fan of punching and kicking things, so why not have her kick some holes through dimensions to help her save the day.

Get Ready for Miss America

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Having only been created in 2011, America Chavez has a fairly short list of comics to become familiar with before her MCU debut. While you should definitely steer clear of her series America, she still has some incredible appearances

–Young Avengers Volume 3 – 2013 (Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie)
A great story with beautiful artwork and a fun way of playing with the panels. Not only is it a great way to introduce yourself to America Chavez and her powers, but it’s a great series all around.

Amazon: Young Avengers Volume 3

–Vengeance – 2011 (Joe Casey, Nick Dragotta)
The first-ever appearance of America Chavez. While it’s not the best story, it’s a great introduction to her character and her abilities.

Amazon: Vengeance

–Ultimates – 2015 (Al Ewing, Kenneth Rocafort)
A new team of cosmic proportions. Here, we see America Chavez take on her role as a cosmic saviour alongside some of our favourite heroes. A great read with a look into what she is capable of.

Amazon: Ultimates (2015)

–Ultimates 2 – 2016 (Al Ewing, Travel Foreman)
After Civil War tears them apart, America gets the band back together. More cosmic joyrides to save the omniverse, and more of the America Chavez we love.

Amazon: Ultimates 2 Vol. 1 | Ultimates 2 Vol. 2

–West Coast Avengers – 2018 (Kelly Thompson, Stefano Caselli)
America Chavez and Kate Bishop are the ultimate BFFs. While we get to see their friendship in many comics, what better way to see them together than when they’re on the same team.

Amazon: West Coast Avengers Vol. 1 | West Coast Avengers Vol. 2

–Made in the USA – 2021 (Kalinda Vazquez, Carlos Gomez)
This is the most detailed origin story for America Chavez. While it does take a different route from what we have seen in other comics, it brings in her ties to both of her families and shows us more of who she is.

Amazon: Made in the USA

And be sure to pre-order the first ever America Chavez Funko POP!, now available on Amazon!

Amazon: America Chavez Funko POP! Pre-Order

Looking to the Future

There are bound to be some differences between the America Chavez of the comics and the onscreen adaptation, but whatever happens, we’re sure to have an amazing new addition to the MCU. America Chavez is going to be a hero that we all root for, and here’s hoping that her introduction now will bring us more Miss America in the future. While I’m personally hoping that her presence will bring us closer to a Young Avengers series, we’re sure to love her, no matter where we see her.

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