Brought back to my youth by The Avengers

Avengers Movie Website

After multiple disappointments with Marvel characters in movies, this optimist-pessimist decided that the scales tilted from Tortilla chips and burgers at TGI Friday's to a date with the Avengers movie. Well not fully, I kept some for insurance and had an apple slush and tortillas before the movie.

I kept the expectations to a minimum. After all the character surgeries done so the X-Men can be GP, what else would someone who grew up waiting for six months before one got a chance (chance being the operative word) to get the newest Marvel comic book, all the superhero movies felt something like a betrayal of our youth. It felt too sanitized, to get through the censors at which ever board had a say.

Boy was I wrong this time. My wife who is six years my junior, almost did not watch the movie as she was watching me. I felt like I was ten again, moving through the pages of an Avengers Annual, the one sent by a very loved relative from the USA. I felt as I did then, blood quickening as I had been so excited but needed to finish my homework and chores first before I could solemnly unwrap the comic book and start reading. I felt both torn and impatient at wanting to know how the story ends and trying to keep time frozen.

I laughed, I clapped, I cheered, I whooped (when the Hulk knocked Thor down on a whim). I went back to days when Ben Grimm battled the green monster in the city streets of USA. I went back to when it was cool that Dr. Blake was Thor. I went back from all the dreary, tiring grown up modern world I know now, this third world country I call home, and went back to being a child transported by the story tellers and artists of Marvel. I felt good, for the first time in a long time, about having spent my money.

Thank you Stan Lee and team. Some other hardcore fan/s would still find something lacking as purists would usually do. I'd say this time you've outdone yourselves. I met my childhood self today, and for that you have my gratitude yet again.