'Kid Juggernaut' Creators Reclaim the Mantle and Its Legacy with Justin Jin

Cain Marko wasn't the first Juggernaut, and he won't be the last.

In MARVEL'S VOICES INFINITY COMIC (2022) #100 by Anthony Oliveira and Minkyu Jung, Justin Jin joined Captain Marvel's new Avengers Academy as Kid Juggernaut at the X-Men's behest. Now, in Emily Kim and Peter Nguyen's KID JUGGERNAUT: MARVEL'S VOICES INFINITY COMIC (2024), discover Justin's origin story as he reckons with his transformation and a family legacy forged by the dark god Cyttorak.

Just in time for Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, Kim, Oliveira, Jung, and Nguyen shared the joy of creating Kid Juggernaut and what his journey means to them, while offering a glimpse of what's to come during his journey at Avengers Academy.

EMILY KIM

"It's been such a joy to put a twist on a classic Marvel character and instead see a young Asian Canadian kid thrown into the role. Unlike the Juggernauts who came before him, Justin is someone who sees the best in others and will do anything to keep his loved ones safe."

"I tried to make sure the endearing awkwardness and humor of a teenager who's still growing into his own shone through, even in the most serious of moments. I'd say he takes after me, but let's be honest... Justin is way cooler."

ANTHONY OLIVEIRA

"When we were designing the Avengers Academy, we wanted to create a character who would not be a legacy, but a reclamation. We wanted to think about how there was a Juggernaut before Cain Marko seized the gem for himself. We wanted to make that character's story and legacy, as Justin's grandfather, something our hero inherits and discovers as the Avengers Academy grows, even as he has to decide for himself what a hero is."

"Justin's heritage is important, and not just something to be co-opted by foreign colonial enterprises, but his to negotiate, understand, and make his own. The concept of the Juggernaut has so often been about the crisis of masculinity, and in creating Justin, I wanted to approach him as a contrast to Cain: sure of himself, secure in his masculinity, gentle and patient and kind. He struggles, but he approaches the world as a sweet, pure-of-heart person doing his best."

"He's a hero; he's a hunk; and above all he's a good nice boy—the best dude I've ever known and my favorite character I've ever created."

MINKYU JUNG

"As an Asian reader, it's always great to see Asian super heroes in the Marvel Universe, so being a part of the team to create this young Asian Canadian kid truly means a lot to me. I hope he'll be loved for a long time!"

PETER NGUYEN

"Growing up instantly obsessed with X-Men at a young age, it's going to be hard to explain how much it means to me to help add characters like Kid Juggernaut to the larger world. Ten-year-old me wouldn't have believed me, for sure."

"More importantly though, I wish I had a character like him as a young reader. Justin working in a bakery reminds me of my own relationship with my mother, who also taught me how to cook and bake. I really hope more characters like Justin get made, because I really believe that representation matters."

KID JUGGERNAUT: MARVEL’S VOICES INFINITY COMIC (2024) #3 is available to read now on Marvel Unlimited!

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