It’s about damn time. Fans of Marvel’s updated take on the Miss America concept have wanted a series starring America Chavez for years—and it took them so long her original creators went off and created a new version of her at Image Comics. But thankfully, finally, Marvel are getting with the program.


Announced at New York Comic Con, there’s no details yet on America, other than a cover for the first issue drawn by artist Jamie McKelvie, who, alongside Kieron Gillen, helped propel America to popularity in the 2013 Young Avengers series. No other pieces of the creative team were revealed, and neither was a release date.


America is an important announcement from Marvel Comics, not just because of the fact fans of America Chavez have been waiting for her to get a series for so long, but also because America marks the first series in Marvel’s upcoming roster of new comics to star an LGBT lead.

It’s been a bad year for LGBT character representation for Marvel, with the end of Angela: Queen of Hel earlier this year and heavy criticism for their erasure of demigod Hercules’ bisexuality, as well as a general lack of prominently visible LGBT characters in either its comics or movies. While their rival publishers have made leaps and bounds in the representation of LGBT lead characters and outreach to the LGBT community, Marvel has instead stayed silent, leaving its LGBT characters to supporting or minor roles in other series. America represents a step in the right direction, but it’s just a start.