America Chavez, also known as Miss America, is a fairly new character in the Marvel Universe as she made her first appearance in 2011. Created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta, America Chavez believed for a long time that she was coming from the Utopian Parallel, an out-of-time reality where the Demiurge gave her powers. She left home, traveled across different realities, and ended up becoming a hero called Miss America on Earth-616.
Known as Marvel’s first Latin-American LGBTQ character to star in an ongoing series, America Chavez started in the 2011 limited series Vengeance (from Casey and Dragotta), but became popular as part of the Young Avengers, A-Force, the Ultimates, and West Coast Avengers.
Also, America Chavez is extremely powerful. Like a lot of superheroes, she possesses superhuman strength, speed, durability, and the power of flight, but she also has the power to kick open star-shaped holes in reality—the kind of thing that allows her and her teammates to travel through the multiverse and into other realities.
America Chavez Comics Reading Order
The introduction of Miss America
Everything started with Vengeance: When Magneto of the X-Men tries to rescue a young mutant on the run, he accidentally kicks off a series of events that will shake the Marvel Universe to its core! Who is the new Teen Brigade?! Who are the Brotherhood, and what do they want with the Young Masters of Evil?! And how is the Red Skull pulling the strings from beyond the grave?
Nevertheless, it’s not must-read material for non-hardcore fans as the America Chavez of that period was revised. It’s really with the Young Avengers that she became how she is.
- Vengeance
Collects Vengeance #1-6.
America Chavez in the Young Avengers Vol. 2
America Chavez joined The Young Avengers with volume 2, a fifteen-issue run launched in 2013 (coming from Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie). Ms. America teamed up with Wiccan, Hulkling, Kate “Hawkeye” Bishop with Kid Loki, and Marvel Boy. For more information, take a look at our Young Avengers Reading Order.
- Young Avengers by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie Omnibus
Collects Young Avengers (2013) 1-15, Marvel Now! Point One (2012) 1 (Young Avengers Story)
This Young Avengers series was also previously collected in trade paperbacks:
- Young Avengers Vol. 1: Style > Substance
Collects Young Avengers Vol. 2 #1–5, Marvel Now! Point One #1 (Young Avengers story) - Young Avengers Vol. 2: Alternative Cultures
Collects Young Avengers Vol. 2 #6–10 - Young Avengers Vol. 3: Mic-Drop at the Edge of Time and Space
Collects Young Avengers Vol. 2 #11–15
America Chavez, from Secret Wars to the All-New, All-Different Marvel
In 2015, Marvel organized the destruction of its own universe during the Secret Wars event (see the reading order for more details). During that time, America Chavez very briefly appears as a member of the A-Force, an all-female team of Avengers (during 1 issue), which led her to be sent to the Shield in the Siege: Battleworld miniseries:
- A-Force #1
Collected in A-Force Vol. 0: Warzones. - Siege: Battleworld
Collects Siege (2015) #1–4, Uncanny X-Men (2011) #9–10.
Once Secret Wars ended, the Marvel Universe was rebooted and America Chavez joined another team: The Ultimates, working with Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Spectrum, and Blue Marvel to find and fix problems beyond the limits of the infinite!
- Ultimates by Al Ewing: The Complete Collection
Collects Ultimates (2015) #1-12; Ultimates 2 (2016) #1-9, 100; material from Avengers (2015) #0. This book also collects the second volume of Ultimates, see the next section to learn more about it.
Volume One of the Ultimates by Al Ewing was previously collected in:
- Ultimates – Omniversal Vol. 1: Start With The Impossible
Collects Ultimates #1-5, Avengers #0. - Ultimates – Omniversal Vol. 2: Civil War II
Collects Ultimates (2015) #7-12.
Being Captain Marvel teammate, America Chavez appeared throughout the Civil War II event, mostly cameos and brief guest-starring roles (nothing of real importance though). For more details about this war, take a look at our Civil War II Reading Order.
America, from The Ultimates 2 to the West Coast Avengers
After the events of Civil War II, The Ultimates was no more, but America got her own ongoing series (coming from Gabby Rivera and Joe Quinones). She goes to college! America just has to stop an interdimensional monster or two first and shut down a pesky alien cult that’s begun worshipping her exploits before work can begin.
- America Vol. 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez
Collects America (2017) #1-6.
And then, The Ultimates, protectors of the Omniverse, reformed and became the newest heralds of Galactus the Lifebringer!
- The Ultimates 2 Vol. 1: Troubleshooters
Collects Ultimates 2 (2016) #1-6.
That’s when Secret Empire happened. To know more about the way to read the Ultimates 2 tie-ins (collected in the next trade) take a look at our Secret Empire Reading Order.
- The Ultimates 2 Vol. 2: Eternity War
Collects Ultimates 2 (2016) #7-12 - America Vol. 2: Fast and Fuertona
Collects America (2017) #7-12.
Next, America Chavez joined her friend Kate Bishop in the new West Coast Avengers series. Yes, The West Coast Avengers are back, and California’s super villains aren’t happy
- West Coast Avengers Vol. 1: Best Coast
Collects West Coast Avengers #1-6. - West Coast Avengers Vol. 2: City of Evils
Collects West Coast Avengers #7-10.
The West Coast Avengers came back briefly during The War of Realms to fight the enemy alongside Superior Spider-Man in issues #7 & 8 collected in The Superior Spider-Man: Otto-Matic.
America in Marvel Rising
America Chavez joined the Marvel Rising franchise with films and comics centered around young Marvel heroes like Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl. Go to Marvel.com for more information.
- Marvel Rising
Collects Marvel Rising #0, Marvel Rising: Alpha #1, Marvel Rising: Squirrel Girl/Ms. Marvel #1, Marvel Rising: Ms. Marvel/Squirrel Girl #1, Marvel Rising: Omega #1. - Marvel Rising: Heroes of the Round Table
Collects Marvel Rising (2019) #1-5.
America Chavez: Made in the USA
The second America series in which the young heroine her own origins are in question: Her life is about to be shattered into a million pieces by a mysterious adversary. When her tormentor is revealed, their face will be shocking, to say the least ― but it’s what they reveal that will rock the foundations of all that America knows. And then? It’s just a matter of whether or not to believe them… This came from writer Kalinda Vazquez (Marvel’s Runaways) and artist Carlos Gomez (Amazing Mary Jane).
- America Chavez: Made in the USA
Collects America Chavez: Made In The USA (2021) #1-5.
Also, America joined the Defenders!
- Defenders: Beyond
Collects Defenders: Beyond (2022) 1-5.
Following the events of Devil’s Reign, Luke Cage became Mayor of New York, and assembled a new team of Thunderbolts that included America.
- Thunderbolts: Back on Target
Collects Thunderbolts (2022) #1-5
More coming soon…
Did we forget an important issue? Did we make a mistake? Let us know in the comments!