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Marvel's White Tiger has risen to a new level of prominence thanks to the inclusion of the original version Hector Ayala in Daredevil: Born Again along with his niece Angela Del Toro, who is his successor as White Tiger in the show.
With the hero now on the minds of fans, Marvel Comics is bringing the current White Tiger Ava Ayala, Hector's sister, to the forefront in White Tiger: Reborn, a new one-shot that celebrates the character's legacy while setting the stage for Ava's future as the hero.
Newsarama caught up with both Older and Pelayo to discuss White Tiger's future in the Marvel Universe, and how Ava Ayala's future is informed by the ongoing legacy of Marvel's first Puerto Rican hero. We've also got a gallery of pages from the one-shot, along with a 'Hidden Gem' variant cover by White Tiger's legendary co-creator, artist George Pérez.
Daniel José Older: Ah yes, the turning point aspect is one of my favorite parts of this story! And it really marks a new era for both Hector and Ava. It's Ava's story, but she's always grappling with the difficult legacy that her brother left behind and what it means for her. This was an opportunity to step forward for all of them, and I'm thrilled I got to be part of it.
Cynthia Pelayo: Ava Ayala experiences significant growth in White Tiger: Reborn #1 and it’s going to be exciting for readers to witness how she’s evolved and confronted her powerful family legacy. This issue tackles a number of questions from the character’s history while providing a new way forward for Ava.
Jhony Caballero's cover for White Tiger: Reborn #1 features multiple incarnations of the character seeming to team up against D'Spayre. How much do these clues indicate what we can expect from the story?
Older: First of all, how cool is D'Spayre? I love that we got to go deep into the vault for this incredible, terrifying villain. In many ways, this is a story about honoring our ancestors, and giving light to how they lift us up and we lift them up as we evolve together. All of us are here because of our ancestors, and those can also be tricky relationships to navigate, make peace with. I wanted to get into some of those challenges with an action packed, modern noir story.
Pelayo: I wanted to honor the history of White Tiger, particularly Hector’s love of Puerto Rico, the importance of his family, and of course his commitment to helping people. My story tackles each of these elements.
Daniel, you're working with artist Bruno Abdias who is making his Marvel debut on White Tiger: Reborn, and Cynthia, you're working with Moises Hidalgo. What's it been like working with them, and how do they embody the artistic legacy the legendary George Pérez kicked off 50 years ago?
Older: I can't even begin to describe what a pleasure it was working with a talented powerhouse like Bruno! He seemed to intuitively read my mind. I tend to be somewhat sparse with description in my scripts, because I want the artist to bring their vision to the page alongside mine. But of course, I have certain visual concepts in my head. Bruno surpassed anything I could've dreamed up and went above and beyond. And I also want to shout out legendary editor Lauren Amaro, whose thoughtfulness, creativity, and passion really brought this whole project to life. Dream team!
Pelayo: Moises Hidalgo is an artistic genius. It’s been wonderful watching the process unfold and their artistic interpretations. Moises approached the character with such excitement and commitment to maintaining the legacy of White Tiger, while also acknowledging Ava’s new dedication to the role.
Here's everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again season 2, which will include the White Tiger.
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