Avery K. Tingle, The Gamer Author

You should’ve been there. If you were there, you knew.
Sony had teased us for years. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was the closest thing we’d gotten to validation in decades. Finally, comic books were being integrated into the mainstream. Of course, we had to deal with the same people who used to make our lives a living hell, suddenly talk about how they’d always been into this stuff. We were able to tune them out after awhile. This was for us.

Then, Marvel Studios announced Iron Man. We had no idea what we were in for. Most of us considered Iron Man second-rate. But the movie looked promising. Then, it destroyed absolutely every expectation we had. Comic books were cool. We were here to stay.

For the next eleven years, we got treated to some of the best big-budget cinema we could’ve dreamed of. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America were literally lifted from our imaginations and filled with actual storylines that stayed true to the lore. Combined with some of the best special effects money could buy, we had very little to complain about. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty damn close. The MCU was everything we ever asked for on the big screen.

Then, in 2019, it came to a resounding and triumphant end. Robert Downey Jr. declared his name for the very last time, snapped his fingers, and you probably know the rest. It was over. We walked out of the theater feeling as though we’d completed our journey.

And that’s just it. For us Gen-X’ers and Millenials who’d grown up waiting for this sort of thing, it was over. Marvel continues to put out great content. Loki is a lot of fun. But it definitely feels like the beginning of something new, rather than the continuation of what came before.

This is part of why I’m not in a rush to see Black Widow.

First, I don’t like learning about a character’s origins or previous adventures after they’re dead. It takes the wind out of the story’s sails. We already know how Natasha Romanoff’s story ends. It was a hard watch. Two years later, it’s still a hard watch. I have no doubt that Cate Shortland has directed a phenomenal film. But knowing that Vormir awaits is a little depressing.

Secondly, it doesn’t really feel like it’s for me. I’m okay with change and letting go. Black Widow feels like the continuation of the MCU’s next step. Eleven years and twenty-two films later (!!!) I feel as though I’ve just gotten off of the best rollercoaster I’ve ever been on. It was an amazing ride but I need a moment to process.

I’ll check out Black Widow when it either comes down in price or becomes regularly accessible with my Disney+ subscription. For now, I’m happy to step aside and let the next generation take over and enjoy the ride.

Thanks for reading.

Avery K. Tingle is a scifi/fantasy author currently residing in the Las Vegas area. Owned by two cats, he is passionate about social justice, Star Wars, and mental health. Connect to his award-winning writing and social media here.