Marvel’s First Miss America

Categories: Did You Know|Published On: October 30, 2023|Views: 2|

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While the name “Miss America” has been most commonly associated with beauty pageants over the years, Marvel has certainly begged to differ. The original Miss America debuted in Marvel Mystery Comics (September 1943) in the middle of the Golden Age.

The first Miss America was Madeline Joyce Frank, a teenager living in Washington, DC. After tampering with a scientist’s machine – one that he had claimed had given him powers after it had been struck by lightning – Madeline discovered she had superhuman strength and the ability to fly. She was soon given her own book, Miss America Comics, in 1944, which was also published by Timley (Marvel’s predecessor).

Though Madeline fought alongside other popular Timely characters of that era – including Captain America, the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner – her last appearance of the Golden Age was in 1948, and she wouldn’t be relevant again until the 1970s. She actually died due to complications from childbirth with her second child. Then, in 2006 she returned briefly in the miniseries X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl, and again as a reanimated corpse/cyborg that battled against her former teammate, the Human Torch.

Since then, Madeline has been completely replaced in the Marvel universe by a new Miss America – America Chavez. Chavez debuted in the 2011 limited series Vengeance and possesses much of the same abilities as Madeline (super-strength and flight), but also can literally kick open holes in reality to travel the multiverse. Chavez later joined the Teen Brigade and the Young Avengers, and appeared as part of the all-female Avengers team, the A-Force.

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