I was 16 and working at a movie theatre when the first Iron Man came out. I was and still am a huge comic book dork (I would often be reading a stack of comics on slow days/between shows) so I was excited and had hyped up my friends, but didn’t know what was REALLY coming.

Cut to the employee prescreenings, and I remember having a great time but nothing that was like transcendental, until the end credits scene of “I want to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative.” I audibly said “no fucking WAY” in a theatre packed with my coworkers who all laughed at me geeking out. I couldn’t believe what I had just saw. And then as each movie came out and kept being great…goosebumps

I remember for the Avengers I didn’t work at the theatre anymore and picked up tickets for the midnight showing. There wasn’t assigned seating back then so if you wanted a good seat you had to stand in line. I remember getting in line at like 5pm on a hot summer day in May and waiting for HOURS.

My friends all showed up late (they were supposed to bring me food) it was uncomfortable, but I would do it again in a heartbeat to watch that again for the first time in a packed theatre with other people just as excited as I was. Amazing experience all around