Let’s Talk Comics! America Chavez and Superheroes Alike

With the recent release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I just had to tackle an article about our newest hero America Chavez and, in general, diversity within the world of superheroes.

First of all – who is America Chavez? The film shows us a spunky Latina teenager whose power is literally jumping across multidimensional borders! Sporting a jean jacket, Pride pin, a short, curly haircut and a sporty, urban look altogether, Chavez reminds me of a teenager I’d find in my own high school today. Her style and persona are very aligned with the average teenager. I’m not sure if that was intentional or if the sporty-urban look has always been a thing for her in the comics, but it works! Plus, it’s a more down-to-earth take on a budding superhero unlike the starter kit of masks and spandex suits we usually see...

Speaking of comics, let’s talk origin story. Chavez first appeared in a comic book released in 2011. She is known to have come from another world – a paradise of sorts – where she had two moms until, at only 6 years old, Chavez is split from them and travels through a multidimensional portal she created. She ends up stranded on Earth 616, also known as the main Earth in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and traditional Marvel comics. Eventually, she grows up to become a full-time superhero, teaming up with the likes of Kate Bishop (the next Hawkeye), Wiccan (Scarlet Witch’s son Billy), and more from what can probably be labeled as “the next generation of heroes.” If you look more into Chavez’s backstory, then you’ll know there are some variations to her origin story, but the 2021 comics essentially solidify the origin for what fans speculate to be in preparation for her live debut in the MCU.

Now let’s talk about The Multiverse of Madness. As an MCU fan, I liked the movie overall. However, I did need to think critically about the way diversity and representation were handled. In an age where movies like Black Panther, Shang-Chi, and even The Eternals are pioneering representation in no small matter, I was still skeptical. The opening scene alone concerned me because it started with Chavez – a new, unknown-to-me, character running through a strange world with Doctor Strange, speaking Spanish.

I was very confused.

Marvel had never started a movie with a known hero (Strange) in such a different way that it caught me off guard. When I realized this was done because Strange was intentionally conversing with Chavez in her native language, that she’s Spanish and bilingual, I understood the attempt but had to ask the question – was this done authentically?

This is the rough question-proof-answer experiment I run with all stories that have diverse elements being placed in a setting or environment that it’s not traditionally known for. I ask myself, “was this done authentically?” and if so, “how” to arrive at an answer. Full disclosure, it’s never a yes-no answer. Instead, the answer itself is trying to analyze the intentions behind why characters or stories are portrayed the way they are. What makes something authentic? If a story has a diverse element, is it automatically considered accurate?

In the case of The Multiverse of Madness’ opening scene - was it a credible start to the movie given that the character was bilingual? Yes – because Chavez is bilingual and so was that version of Doctor Strange. However, when she portals to Earth 616 and meets our Doctor Strange, it becomes clear that the bilingual element drops after realizing that Strange does not speak Spanish. I don’t ever really see her reacting in Spanish much after that either though I understood that to be her native tongue. And so, that element was lost for me and dispelled some of the authenticity I originally felt.

The idea of authenticity is represented in layers and looks different to everyone. As a Desi girl, what I may consider true to my experience may not be the same for someone else who also identifies as a Desi girl, and that’s essentially because our understanding of authenticity is centered around our unique experiences that make up the root of our identity. Someone like Chavez who identifies as a lesbian Latina – how is this portrayed throughout her story in a way that fans find truthful, honest, and believable to those who also identify similarly?

I found her relatable as a teenager who is Spanish, supports the LGBTQ+ community, and is struggling with trying to just manage her powers. This was the core of her identity in the film, and I thought this was done well enough. Could the film have done a better job of carrying over the Spanish language that they flaunted in the first five minutes of the film to make you aware she’s Spanish, yes – absolutely. But, did they get the core of her identity across to the audience? Also a yes.

I believe this balance of authenticity and diversity has always been at the heart of comics, especially since we can visibly see the characters. Their appearance, design, fashion, dialogue – all of this leaves very little room for interpretation, if any at all. Chavez has always been drawn as a Latina, with tan-to-dark skin, thick curly hair, strong features, and an urban look to her outfit. Black Panther has always been a Wakandan, an identity that borrows and showcases many aspects of various African tribes. Captain America has always been a white man who was a former US soldier. If you take each of these characters and consider when they were created, what the audience was like at the time, and, most importantly, who was controlling the narrative, then you can begin to understand what an authentic representation of that character’s identity truly meant. For Captain America, it was about showcasing the American spirit in a time of war – this was very similar to Superman’s (DC Comics) origins – and in both cases, it was white America they were speaking to. Black Panther gave rise and recognition to Black Americans, and Chavez is doing the same for not only Latinos but also the LGBTQ community.

Through these characters, the status of the times and current issues are always reflected as well. DC comics’ characters Static Shock and Black Lightning face off against villains and problems in urban and ghetto neighborhoods. Marvel’s X-Men tackle issues of persecution and segregation. Our newly anticipated Marvel hero, Ms. Marvel, will highlight the Pakistani and Desi community in a way that we’ve yet to see in mainstream media.

It’s no surprise that as our community becomes more diverse, and issues of diversity and authentic representation are brought to the center of creative subjects, our characters and stories will evolve. This is already reflected in Steve Rogers’ Captain America handing the mantle over to Sam Wilson (Falcon), a black man from Harlem. In the MCU miniseries The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam struggled with accepting if this was the right thing to do given the history of what Captain America meant to the world and the still-relevant divide in the White and Black communities. In the background of this series, happening in the real world, are issues of police brutality against black and brown youths, underserved populations, the school-to-prison pipeline, and so much more that’s reflected in Sam’s reality within the MCU. The MCU and the comic book world intentionally highlight these issues within their settings and force the audience to recognize this. As a result, the definition of a superhero further evolves and is no longer someone who is imbued with superpowers or serves their country. A superhero is someone who does the right thing to serve and protect all without discrimination.

Returning back to Chavez and The Multiverse of Madness, there’s still the larger question of how its currently non-white characters are being represented within the movie. There have been critiques that Wong, the current Sorcerer Supreme, still plays an embarrassing second-fiddle to Doctor Strange; that Baron Mordo is still represented as an evil antagonist; that Sara, the black disciple of Wong’s, sacrificed her life to stop Wanda but was essentially a worthless death. These examples are subject to their own opinions, but it does call into question the larger issue the MCU and superhero world still continue to deal with. Add issues of casting characters that look ethnically different from their comic book counterpart, how elements of different cultures are represented, the claims of the MCU pushing liberal agendas in its audience’s faces, and we have a whole slew of things to talk about…

All of this really won’t get solved overnight though. As I mentioned, the matters of representation and diversity are layered, complex, and reflective of what’s happening in society today. As long as we continue to challenge, to demand that all identities are equally and authentically represented in our heroes, we’ll get them. Either the creators will listen and fulfill, or we’ll simply become the creators ourselves. That is how change is made.

I’m looking forward to more of Chavez in the upcoming MCU adventures, and have high hopes for our superheroes altogether.

Article edited by Lindsey Huddleston.