In this day and age, we’ve seen superheroes of all different kinds of backgrounds. However, just how many of them are of Puerto Rico descent? While some may not have been given the spotlight they deserve, there are quite a number of Puerto Rican superheroes that you may not have been aware of.
White Tiger (Hector Ayala)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 (Dec 1975)
- Created by: Bill Mantlo and George Pérez
- Powers: Superhuman martial arts, superhuman physical abilities due to the Jade Tiger amulet
- Bio: Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Hector could transform into the White Tiger via the Jade Tiger amulet. He teamed up with the likes of Spider-Man and Daredevil until he gave up the superhero mantle due to his addiction to the amulet. Ayala was accused and convicted of murder and was shot in the middle of an escape attempt — all before evidence emerged proving his innocence.
- In other media: Appeared in the Ultimate Spider-Man TV series
White Tiger (Ava Ayala)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Avengers Academy #20 (Dec 2011)
- Created by: Christos Gage and Tom Raney
- Powers: Superhuman martial arts, superhuman physical abilities due to the Jade Tiger amulet, sharp claws
- Bio: The fifth to call herself White Tiger after the death of her older brother Hector Ayala. She’s enrolled in the Avengers Academy and lives with her sister since the death of her parents. She joins the New Avengers after a brief stint with the Heroes for Hire and Mighty Avengers. She gets into an altercation with her niece Angele del Toro over the amulet.
- In other media: Appeared as a major character in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated television series, partnered with the titular Spider-Man and other well-known superheroes, and several Marvel-related video games
White Tiger (Angela del Toro)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Daredevil vol. 2 #58 (Nov 2003)
- Created by: Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
- Powers: Superhuman martial arts, superhuman physical abilities due to the Jade Tiger amulet, camouflage
- Bio: Federal Agent Del Toro received the White Tiger amulet after the death of her uncle Hector Ayala. In the midst of tracking down vigilante and fellow superhero Daredevil, Del Toro asks for his advice on what to do with the amulet. She fought with several superheroes including the aforementioned Daredevil and Spider-Man until her eventual death and later resurrection as an assassin.
Yo-yo (Elena Rodriguez)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: The Mighty Avengers #13 (July 2008)
- Created by: Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
- Powers: Superhuman speed
- Bio: Born in Puerto Rico to supervillain John “Johnny” Horton, Rodriguez is recruited by SHIELD agent Nick Fury to join a special task force, called the Secret Warriors, during the crossover event Secret Invasion. Rodriguez is believed to have been killed by the supervillain team the Wrecking Crew.
- In other media: Played by Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Elena Rodriguez appears as a main character in the television series Marvel’s Agents of Shield although changes to her background, including her Puerto Rican nationality, have been changed
Spider-Man (Miles Morales)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Ultimate Fallout
- Created by: Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli
- Powers: Superhuman strength and agility, ability to attach and climb solid objects, invisibility, venom blast, spider-sense, bio-electricity
- Bio: In an alternate universe, Peter Parker’s Spider-Man is met with an untimely demise. Half-Puerto Rican and half-black teenager Miles Morales is bitten by a spider infused with Peter Parker’s blood and thus gaining the powers of everyone’s favorite web-crawler. Morales has since seen himself thrust into the limelight of Marvel Comics, participating in major events such as the Secret Wars and the Second Civil War and ultimately forming teenage superhero group the Champions.
- In other media: Morales has appeared in a plethora of Spider-Man and Marvel-related media, including several different television series starting with Ultimate Spider-Man. Morales is a recurring playable character in multiple Spider-Man video games, including playing a major role in the AAA title Spider-Man (2018). Morales is hinted to exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and appears as the main character in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Araña / Spider-Girl (Anya Sofia Corazon)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy #1 (Aug 2004)
- Created by: Fiona Avery and Mark Brooks
- Powers: Superhuman strength and agility, ability to attach and climb solid objects, can create a symbiote exoskeleton
- Bio: Half-Puerto Rican and half-Mexican Anya Corazon is given spider-life powers after being mortally wounded in the midst of a clash by The Spider Society — who is then recruited into the organization and goes by the name Araña. She participates in major Marvel crossover events, including Civil War, Secret Wars, and Spider-Verse. After a situation involving the help of Spider-Man, Anya is referred to as Spider-Girl, which she initially is annoyed by but eventually accepts the name as her own.
- In other media: Anya has appeared in a handful of Marvel-related video games and appears as a main character in the television series Marvel’s Spider-Man.
El Vejigante (Miguel Rodriguez)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Fantastic Four in… Ataque del MODOK! #! (Nov 2010)
- Created by: Tom Beland and Juan Doe
- Powers: Super strength, agility, and phasing
- Bio: The Vejigante appears as a spirit in the Marvel Universe that passes from host to host, granting people in need of redemption superhuman powers. Those with the spirit cannot leave the island of Puerto Rico and must defend it against all evil. After enlisting in the army after the September 11th attacks, Miguel Rodriguez is met by the Vejigante after being discharged for running away from a mission. El Vejigante aids the Fantastic Four, who decide to vacation in Puerto Rico, against supervillain MODOK.
Cecilia Reyes
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: X-Men #65 (June 1997)
- Created by: Scott Lobdell and Carlos Pacheco
- Powers: Force fields
- Bio: Raised in the Bronx, Reyes is a medical doctor and mutant with the ability to project force fields. After problems with racism and encounters with anti-must task forces, Reyes reluctantly joins the X-Men — despite initially refusing due to desiring a normal life. Reyes has been on multiple adventures with the superhero group although always preferring to exercise her medical prowess instead of being on the field. In one particular miniseries, she is seen having a family with fellow X-Men member Beast.
- In other media: Being played by actress Alice Braga, Reyes is a prominent character in the feature film The New Mutants.
Tag (Brian Cruz)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #2 (2004)
- Created by: Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis
- Powers: Can attract or repel other people
- Bio: Mutant Brian Cruz is a member of the Hellions, a group advised by fellow X-Man Emma Frost. In the major comic book event House of M, Tag found himself powerless. On a bus leaving the Xavier Institute, Tag was killed by a missile.
Fer-de-Lance (Teresa Vasquez)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Captain America #337 (Jan 1988)
- Created by: Mark Gruenwald and Tom Morgan
- Powers: Superhuman strength and durability
- Bio: A criminal from Puerto Rico, Vasquez was a member of the Serpent Squad — tasked with robbing casinos in Las Vegas. The efforts of the Squad were trumped by Captain America, sending her to prison. She soon joined the likes of the Serpent Society, who were also trumped by Captain America.
Bantam (Roberto Velasquez)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Captain America Annual #12 (May 1993)
- Created by: Mark Gruenwald and David Wohl
- Powers: Superhuman strength, stamina, endurance, and bulletproof skin
- Bio: Velasquez was a young boxer, going by the name Bantam, training in Puerto Rico whose future as a professional boxer was up in the air due to having a small frame. Velasquez accepts an offer from Miami crime boss Armando Aviles to undergo an experimental physical transformation, accidentally killing his next opponent in the ring as a result of the treatment — going into hiding as a result. Velasquez came out of hiding to join forces with Captain America, and soon thereafter registered as a superhero with the government during the Civil War storyline. Bantam was killed in an altercation with unregistered hero Thunderclap.
Señor Muerte (Ramon Garcia)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- First Appearance: Hero for Hire #10 (Jun 1973)
- Created by: Steve Englehart and George Tuska
- Powers: Talented gambler, skilled with knives
- Bio: Raised in Hatillo, Puerto Rico, Garcia was exceptional with his stroke of luck. He immigrated to the United States and became an illegal gambling operator in New York City. After being threatened with the exposition of his operation, Garcia orders for an order — which eventually gets picked up by local superhero Luke Cage. Garcia finds his demise in a battle with Luke Cage.
Vibe (Francisco Ramon)
- Publisher: DC Comics
- First Appearance: Justice League of America Annual #2, 1984
- Created by: Gerry Conway and Chuck Patton
- Powers: Superhuman agility, seismic powers, sonic vibration manipulation
- Bio: Born to Puerto Rican parents in Detroit, Michigan, Ramon joined a local street gang called Los Lobos. The Justice League of America was disbanded — leading founding member Aquaman to reform the group outside of Detroit. Ramon took this opportunity to join the Justice League of America — becoming the first-ever Latino superhero to do so and taking the name of Vibe. Since then, Ramon has been a part of several prominent DC crossover events, including Crisis on Infinite Earths and Flashpoint.
- In other media: Vibe appears as a playable character in a couple of video games and makes small appearances in a handful of animated television series. His most well-known role is in the live-action Arrowverse television series The Flash, played by actor Carlos Valdes, although his backstory is drastically changed.
Menagerie (Pamela & Sonja)
- Publisher: DC Comics
- First Appearance: Pamela Action Comics #775 (Mar 2001) and Sonja (JLA #100 (Aug 2004)
- Created by: Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke
- Powers: Control symbiotic alien parasites
- Bio: Menagerie is a title shared by two anti-heroine Puerto Rican sisters Pamela and Sonja. They are members of antihero group The Elite, whose mission is to “free the Earth of scum.”
- In other media: Menagerie appears in the animated film Superman vs. The Elite and an episode of Supergirl, played by actress Jessica Meraz
Sideways (Derek James)
- Publisher: DC Comics
- First Appearance: Sideways #1 (Feb 2018)
- Created by: Dan DiDio, Justin Jordan, and Kenneth Rocafort
- Powers: Trans-dimensional travel, teleportation, superhuman strength
- Bio: Puerto Rican high school student Derek James falls through a dimensional rift into a dark matter dimension while on a trip to Gotham — granting him the power of travel through dimensions and creating rifts through reality. Taking up the name of Sideways, James tackles several different challenges and defeats a group responsible for killing his adoptive mother. He later joins the superhero group Young Justice.
La Borinqueña (Marisol Rios de la Luz)
- First Appearance: La Borinqueña #1
- Created by: Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez
- Powers: Flight, super strength, teleportation, storm control, breathe in water
- Bio: Born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents, Marisol is a master's degree student at Columbia University. In an academic trip to Puerto Rico, Marisol is visited by a goddess of the island while exploring a cave and is given powers meant to fight for her people. She uses said powers to stop natural disasters from hitting the island as well as stopping an out-of-control plummeting plane.
- In other media: La Borinqueña is played by Stephanie Llanes, the official live-action face of the character — who first formally appeared during the Puerto Rican Day Parade
Tech-9 (Rolando Texador)
- Published by: DC Comics
- First Appearance: Blood Syndicate #1 (Apr 1993)
- Created by: Dwayne McDuffle and Denys Cowan
- Powers: Superhuman agility and invulnerability
- Bio: Leader of group Blood Syndicate, Texador’s life ended as a side effect of the big bang.
LAK6 (Leticia Lebron)
- Published by: Daryl Makes Comics (DMC)
- First Appearance: DMC #1
- Created by: Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez
- Bio: A middle school student who aims to track down the vigilante DMC.
