X-Men '97, Marvel, my childhood, and how Marvel changed my life

Picture this.

It's the 2010's. You're an elementary schooler. You don't have a lot of friends, and everyone around you silently deems you the 'weird kid'. You feel like you don't belong anywhere, but that sadness won't last forever. Because when you get home from school today, you can watch your favorite cartoons.

Teletoon Retro was your main source of after-school entertainment, or your dad pirated old cartoons for you on the scuffed family laptop. Your favorite thing at the time was Marvel. You watched the old Spider-Man cartoons from the 60's-90's. You watched the 90's X-Men cartoon as well, but Spider-Man was always your favorite. It was like going back in time, to a time you never got to experience first-hand. It was a simpler time. You wish you didn't take it for granted.

Years go by. It's 2020. You're older, and not as into Marvel anymore. The pandemic has hit, and you're in online school now. You're not as happy as you were before. You feel even more lonely now. You don't know who you are, or what you want to do in life. You have a few interests, sure, but you don't know if you actually like them. You wish things could be the way they used to.

It's June 3, 2023. You're going to see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, with your best friend in the entire world. You wanted to see it on the 2nd, because that was when it was initially released. But, that's okay. You were still going through a rough time. But, after walking out of that theater, having watched the best movie you've ever seen with the best person you've ever met, everything feels different. Like things are going to be okay. And they will be. And with that, your love for Marvel was reignited, and you couldn't be happier.

This was my experience with Marvel. Marvel has consumed my life in the best way possible. I've become happier, more motivated, and more inspired. I've always got something to look forward to now, whether it be the next Spider-Verse movie or X-Men '97. Speaking of which...

I am ecstatic. Watching the trailer for X-Men '97 gave me so much nostalgia. Cyclops finally gets to lead the X-Men, just like how I'd always imagined him to be. Gambit and Wolverine had one of the coolest combos I've seen so far. Hearing the original X-Men theme song playing through my headphones was exhilarating. The little reference to Eddie Brock and Peter Parker in the newspaper clipping made me smile. And to think, something as exciting as that will release next month!

I'm going to rewatch the X-Men cartoon to get myself caught back up. I'm honestly so excited to fully get back into the X-Men. All that's been on my mind lately has been Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Man, which certainly isn't a bad thing, but I need to re-broaden my horizons. I've been playing X-Men: Destiny on my old XBox as well, which is honestly one of the most fun games I've played. 

I feel happier than I've felt in a long time, and when X-Men '97 releases, I'm sure I'll be even happier.