There are certain things that I find absolutely comforting.  Porridge with cream and raspberries.  Soy chai lattes from Starbucks.  La Traviata on vinyl.  Good skincare.

And, among other things, pretty much any Marvel movie.

Marvel really began it’s domination in 2008 with Ironman.  I remember buying it on DVD at a Seven Eleven near John’s apartment in Manayunk and watching it with him on one of our few shared days off at the beginning of our relationship.  I remember going to see The Avengers on July 4, 2012 — the day my MS began to rear its ugly head.   I remember randomly watching Captain America:Winter Soldier during our apartment days and seeking it out to watch again.  That was the hook for me.  That movie, that character.

My love has only grown over the years (yes, I ordered tickets for Avengers: Endgame at eight in the morning nearly a month before the movie came out because I’d marked my calendar).

This past year I have found infinite comfort in Tony Stark and Steve Rogers and Thor and Nebula and Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanov and Carol Danvers ….  When WandaVision finally debuted halfway through January all it did was give me more content, more things to ponder about the vast universe Kevin Feige is deftly building in film.

We fall asleep to Thor:Ragnarok a lot.  We both know most of the lines.  We both love this version of Thor and of course, Loki.  And Valkyrie.  Plus, it’s the turning point for Bruce Banner and the Hulk and it’s brilliant.  It’s funny but also clever and important in the development of Thor & Hulk’s characters.  It stands alone but plays beautifully into the arc of the narrative.  And it’s not quite as heavy as Endgame (my other favored sleepy-time movie).

When I’m tired, when I’m scared, when I’m struggling … I always find comfort in Marvel.  And maybe that makes me pedestrian.  Maybe I’m not a film connoisseur, but I’m okay with that.  Because life is too short not to find the joy.

Xox, g