We Interview Writer Gabby Rivera and Talk America Chavez, Wrasslin’, and Queer Latinas Flourishing

There shouldn’t be a question of how hard we ride for America Chavez. A queer brown girl with the power to punch a black hole outta here? We’re with it. America has risen through the ranks of the Marvel universe by appearing in multiple team books. America Chavez finally got her own series written by Gabby Rivera with art by Joe Quinones in 2017. Gabby has given America Chavez a hell of a year expanding not only her origin but her present and future. We were lucky enough to get to interview Gabby Rivera about her work on fleshing out America Chavez as a character as well as bringing her lineage to light. Black Nerd Problems: You came in to write America Chavez right as the character is becoming more of a household name for Marvel. This gave you the opportunity to lay the groundwork for her origin story and mythos for the coming years. That’s a heavy task for your first time at bat writing comics (nailed it by the way). How did it dawn on you to plot out such a cosmic Amazon-like space fantasy for the tale of America’s grandmother, Madrimar, and her two moms? Gabby Rivera: Ahh! Thank you for the love and compliments. I’m so happy you’re vibing with AMERICA, like it means the world. As for coming up with all the wild things, I mean, why not? Yeah AMERICA is weird and a little bumpy but damn if it’s not so fun and so full of heart. And that’s me and those are the stories I like to tell. Also, I’m so glad you acknowledged that this is my first comic ever. I’ve spent the last 10 …