Writer: Gabby Rivera / Artist: Joe Quinones, Stacy Lee/ Marvel Comics
There’s a lot happening for our favorite dimension Crip walker America Chavez (she has no affiliation with the Crips gang but I like to imagine that every so often America Chavez Crip-walks between dimensions just to stunt). We’re seeing America rush off to save her ex from kidnappers, except instead of landing on Planet Maltixa, America finds herself with the 80’s X-Men facing off against the Juggernaut. The majority of this issue is centered around Storm being present to help Chavez hone her abilities.
We’re not really getting a sense of why Chavez’s powers have gone to disarray when it comes to jumping to a specific dimension or how these certain people (Peggy Carter in Issue #2, now Storm) in time were aware she would appear and be in need of their help. Plus we got a person watching Chavez from the shadows the entire time. We get a reveal and my bet is it’s an older America Chavez. There’s a lot of Quantum Leap level shit that’s unraveling here story-wise but I think the biggest takeaway from this issue is more about America Chavez’s back story. We learn that she hopped from dimension to dimension fitting in with brown families that accepted her without question, which is a great add-on for this character’s lore as we know her to have become an orphan after losing both of her mothers. Gabby Rivera nails America looking back onto her past in reminiscing or looking at moments in hindsight then further building character development off of that.
The other big takeaway isn’t so much Storm helping America to channel her powers to reach beyond what she knows, or how Chavez doesn’t get in tune with herself by dealing with emotions but instead by fighting, no the second big takeaway from this issue is that Storm informs America before their spar that her safeword is “Thunderclap”. I feel like we coulda just ended the book right there for the cliffhanger till next issue. That shit was hilarious. This book does a good job of keeping the humor. The only thing I’d point out is how much is unfolding within the story and the pacing as well.
We got set up from Ultimates 2 that Chavez was attending college to learn more about dimensions and her abilities. I think we’re getting to see her with a more hands-on approach her as opposed to learning in a classroom. There’s a lot to unpack and I’m just hoping we’ll get enough issues for that to happen so this story doesn’t feel rushed. Readers of this series are going to truly enjoy the close look into America’s childhood being expanded upon as well as just how far her powers can truly be pushed.
Joe Quinones and Stacy Lee were on art and kept the outfits and America’s kicks looking fresh to death. I am really enjoying their designs for Chavez as well as her friends. America is a bright and colorful journey for America Chavez as she navigates through the storm of relationships, college cliques, and stunting on everybody with her superior dress game.
Reading America? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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