My teenaged son and his friends introduced me to Marvel comics just before the cinematic franchise blossomed to include 22 movies and counting.
Until the Marvel movies came along, I rarely watched movies at a multiplex, preferring to purchase the DVD and watch the movies multiple times in the comfort of my living room.
Younger kids prefer to go to the cinema.
One year when Adam and his friends were not yet old enough for a driver’s license, I was coerced into driving the seven enthusiastic Avenger fans to the opening weekend of the cinematic movie in Sioux Falls.
The eight of us crowded into the minivan with the youngsters promising this “favorite mom” that they would purchase her movie ticket for taking them to the much-anticipated movie.
I admit I, too, was excited to see the Avengers and we all had our favorite comic characters.
Personally I leaned toward the charismatic Iron Man as my favorite.
While we all liked Iron Man, the Hulk, Hawkeye, Thor, Captain America and Black Willow, just for fun we each chose to identify with a specific character.
The ride to the theater featured discussions of who was the best Avenger, and the ride now featured exciting retelling of their favorite characters’ actions from the movie.
Not only did the youngsters purchase my movie ticket, they also set me up with popcorn and let me sit by them in the theater.
I had never had a better cinematic experience.
Fast forward six years and the final (maybe) Avenger movie hit theaters April 26.
“Avengers: End Game” tied up story lines I followed with Adam and his friends, and this time I watched it with him and his college friends. I paid for my own popcorn, and Adam splurged for my ticket.
I admit the much-anticipated wrap-up of the Marvel Comic story line was a bit disappointing.
While loose ends to various previous movie plots were tied up, a lot was packed into the three-hour movie. For Marvel fans, those three hours flew by fast.
Talking with the kids afterward, their enthusiasm and interpretation of the story lines mellowed my disappointment and I joined in the discussion.
The drive home was a much quieter journey than that first Avenger viewing.
I traveled to the theater myself (everyone is now old enough to drive) and on my solitary ride, I smile to myself at the images of me posing with those adolescents in the theater lobby with someone dressed in an Iron Man costume all those years ago.
I am thankful to that young bunch for introducing me to the super hero genre and explaining the characters and former events so I could understand the plots better.
The time in the theater is unique activity between my youngest son and me. I am happy that at his age of 21 he still wants to be seen in public with his mom.
Fortunately the Marvel comic series is not done.
We’ve already pegged our next mom and son outing. “Spider-Man: Far from Home” opens July 2.