Top 10 Superheroes You Didn’t Know Were Latino
Superheroes are everywhere these days, dominating both the silver screen and the big screen. As the genre continues to explode in popularity, here’s a list of some iconic Latino superheroes.
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Green Lantern
No, this isn’t the Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds played in the 2011. This Lantern is Kyle Rayner, notable for being the only Green Lantern of the 90s. This half-Mexican artist- turned-superhero was even responsible for restarting the entirety of the Corps after Hal Jordan destroyed them. He’s still an active superhero in the comics and even had a cameo in DC’s famed Justice League: Unlimited cartoon.
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Green Lantern (Part 2)
Debuting in 2014, Jessica Cruz is one of the newer superheroes on this list but her popularity with fans speaks for itself. Cruz is a Mexican-American Latina from Oregon who also just happens to wield the most powerful weapon in the galaxy: Green Lantern’s ring! Her story is a fresh take on the genre as she learns to conquer her fears and overcome anxiety in order to save the world.
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Blue Beetle
Unless you’re a die-hard comic book fan, you probably haven’t heard of “Blue Beetle” before. Jaime Reyes, a Mexican American teen from El Paso, Texas is actually the third person to hold the Blue Beetle title but he’s come a long way since his introduction in 2006. He was a member of the much-loved superhero team, the Teen Titans, and even scored a leading role in season 2 of the popular Young Justice cartoon. Rumor has it that he’s slated to star in an upcoming Blue Beetle movie.
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Aquagirl
Aquaman might be one of the lesser known superheroes when it comes to popularity with fans but his fanbase surely speaks for itself. Lorena Marquez, also known as Aquagirl, worked alongside the King of Atlantis and earned her right as a superheroine powerhouse. Marquez can breathe underwater, possesses super strength and can even use the famed Atlantean trident. With the 2018 Aquaman movie about to be released, maybe we’ll find a reference to Lorena in the film.
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Nakia
Marvel’s 2018 Black Panther movie was a huge success, sporting colorful set pieces and a slew of tremendously layered characters. One of these characters was Nakia, a Wakandan spy and the apple of King T’Challa’s eye. Her portrayer, the stunning Lupita Nyong’o was actually born in Mexico. Nakia is already slated for future films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe such as Black Panther 2.
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Valkyrie
Reimagined from her comic book counterpart, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Valkyrie is actually an Afro-Latina superhero. Her portrayer, Tessa Thomspon is of Afro-Panamanian and Mexican descent. Valkyrie was a crucial part of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok and a much-welcomed addition to the Thor cast. Even Thor himself looked up to her and her group of Asgardian warriors.
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Spider-Man
After Peter Parker died in Marvel’s Ultimate comic book line, a young Afro-Latino boy of Puetro Rican descent named Miles Morales took over the mantle. Morales was a huge hit with fans, almost singlehandedly keeping the Ultimate line afloat for years to come and eventually, he found his way into the main comic book line. In December of this year, Morales will be the star of the upcoming Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film.
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Miss America
America Chavez was introduced in 2011 as part of the ever-popular superhero team, the Young Avengers. Also known by the moniker Miss America, Chavez also happens to Marvel’s first Latina LGBT character. In 2017, the character even got her own solo book series.
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Catwoman
Known for her romance with Batman and her cheeky anti-heroics, Catwoman is easily one of DC’s oldest and most popular characters. What most people don’t know about the famed cat costumed thief is that Selina Kyle is actually part Cuban. Maybe we’ll get to see Catwoman appear in one of the upcoming Batman related movies. Until then, she’s starring in her own solo comic book written and drawn by Joelle Jones.
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Ghost Rider
He’s not quite the same Ghost Rider that Nicholas Cage played in 2007 but maybe that’s for the best. Robbie Reyes, the newest rider is a young, Mexican-American boy who was introduced in 2014’s All-New Ghost Rider. The character has certainly taken off since those humble beginnings, scoring multiple solo titles and a spot on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD television show.
