America Chavez is about to break into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel’s number one lesbian superhero, America has long been a fan favorite in the comics, and it’s about time we get to know her on the big screen. Soon we’ll get that chance as she appears in the upcoming film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, coming out May 6.
From casting and previews, we know that her character will be quite different from her beloved comics version, but as of now, we don’t know exactly how. So before you watch the movie, here’s what you should know about the flirty and powerful Latina lesbian.
Chavez was first created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta in the Vengeance #1 comic, but she looked and acted pretty differently. When she first appeared, she was a part of the Teen Brigade with Ultimate Nullifier. That team fought against the supervillain team the Young Masters of Evil.
America’s origin story has actually changed in the comics. The first origin we were given for the character was that she was born on the alternate reality planet of Utopian Parallel, an all-female world. But when the Utopian Parallel was about to be destroyed, her mothers sacrificed themselves and as a result, Chavez ran away, traveling through different multiverses. She came to Earth, specifically a Puerto Rican neighborhood of New York City, where she was accepted as a part of the community.
More recently though, America's origin has been revamped. It was revealed she had a previously unknown sister, Catalina, who helped America remember that her parents were not aliens, but human doctors named Amalia and Elena Chavez. They took their daughters to a private island called the Utopian Parallel to attempt to cure the disease Edges Syndrome. However, they soon found out the island’s owner had evil plans for their daughters and sacrificed themselves trying to free them. Only America got out. Her sister suggested that America made up the alien story as a coping method.
America Chavez possesses the power of flight, super speed, super strength, and durability, making her able to go toe-to-toe with some of Marvel’s strongest heroes. She can also kick open star-shaped holes in reality that allow her and her friends to travel throughout the multiverse. This power seems to be especially useful in the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
America is known for her headstrong confidence and bold flirting. She’s never been afraid to flirt with other female superheroes, and quite often it works. She also likes to do things her own way, and when others tell her, “America, no” she responds by saying, “America, yes!” With her dimension-hopping powers, she’s become quite independent, but she also learned to love her chosen family with the Young Avengers.
Chavez really took off as a character when she joined the Young Avengers in the comic series by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie in 2013. In that series, she joined other queer heroes Kid Loki, Wiccan, Hulkling, Prodigy, Noh-Varr, and Speed, as well as Kate Bishop's Hawkeye. The group became a chosen family and are still good friends to this day in the comics.
In 2017, America got her own solo series, making her the first lesbian superhero at Marvel to lead her own solo title. It was written by Gabby Rivera, a queer Latina. In that series, she was attending Sotomayor University as a student, dates a nurse, and is friends with her former Young Avengers teammate Prodigy.
Since that series ended in 2018, Chavez has joined the Ultimates, a team of cosmically-powered heroes led by Blue Marvel, and more recently joined the West Coast Avengers. She also appeared several times in Kate Bishop’s solo Hawkeye series.
Chavez’s most well known relationship is with Kate Bishop, who became Hawkeye after Clint Barton. In the main universe, the two have never actually dated, but constantly flirt and are best friends to the end. At one point when they were in the Young Avengers together, Kate asked if she was the only straight member of the team. “Princess, I’ve seen the way you look at me,” America replied. “You’re not that straight.”
Additionally, in an alternate world where America appears as a part of the A-Force, an all-female team of Avengers, she meets Lady Katherine of Bishop, an alternate version of her best friend and the two share some romantic moments.
In the MCU, these two will have a very different relationship, as Kate Bishop is 22 and Chavez is being played by fifteen-year-old actress Xochi Gomez. After Disney+'s Hawkeye series, it seems that Yelena Belova is taking America’s place as Kate Bishop’s flirty BFF.
In her solo series, America dated Lisa Halloran, an EMT. Although Lisa was great for America, helping her to open up and become more trusting, the two broke up when it became clear they weren’t on the same life path. She still appears in the Marvel universe, where she’s friends with Jane Foster and the two bond over having dated superheroes. She’s now a member of Damage Control.
