Endgame

"Endgame"

Dear readers,
Whatever It Takes. The tagline to Avengers Endgame. A tagline I think we should use in our own lives. Whatever It Takes. I've always used that tagline. I mean for gods sake, the title track in my first album is called "Whatever It Takes, To Leave This Place". That album was released in 2012. Within the same month as the first Avengers film was released. It was literally such a good time in my life. I had the album made and released. I moved to LA and I had The Avengers to give me a little hope when I needed it, on my own. Listen, everyone and their mom knows that I am the biggest Marvel fan. You can go back to previous pages and clearly see references and events that have played a massive part of my story. Spider-Man was the first hero I ever got to know and fall in love with. Through his comics I was introduced to Daredevil, The Avengers and more. Since 2008 I have attended every opening day of a Marvel Studios film within the MCU. I celebrated my 13th birthday with Tony Stark and heard Nick Fury open the door at the very end, to so many new heroes. You're apart of a bigger universe, you just don't know it yet. Damn, did we not know it. I've gone to the first screenings of every MCU film since Thor The Dark World. It is a tradition that I do my best to keep up with. Even when I got sick, I still kept up with that tradition. The true peak of these films came to me when I got sick. I was always attached to Marvel. There is no denying that. 7 years old to 24 years now, it still has a hold on my heart. Winter Soldier was released as my eye was getting worst. I remember I fought to see that opening night. I was not well that day and I fought my way to make it so I could witness Bucky Barnes become the Winter Soldier and watch as one of the greatest political thrillers unfolded before me. Guardians Of The Galaxy was released as I was in the hospital literally everyday to keep my pressure down. I loved it so much I saw it 3 times during opening weekend. It was the comfort for my soul that really needed something fun and light hearted. Avengers Age Of Ultron released at a time when I was at my darkest place. I cried so hard before that premiere. You don't even know what was going through my mind. That day I was given 5-15 years with my sight. I will always remember that day. I may have been down, but I would not miss the premiere of a movie that I would see 3 more times up until my next major eye surgery on May 27th 2015. Ant Man was released in July 2015 and I had injections earlier that day. My eye was bleeding, I was in pain, but I was not going to miss Scott Lang's MCU debut. Civil War was released in 2016. I was in the deep depths of hell. In and out of the emergency room, my eye was at it's worst. I still made it to opening night. I went with Dash and my cousin along with her friend. I sure as hell screamed when my spider-man showed up on screen for the first time. I'll never forget the chills I had seeing Tom Holland steal my heart. He hasn't returned it since, nor do I want it back. I've always wanted to see Spidey within the MCU and for him to come in at time when I needed a little more hope, i'll never be able to repay that gratitude I felt. Dr Strange, GOTGV2 and then my Spider-Man Homecoming. That film forever holds a very special place in my heart. It was the first solo MCU Spiderman film. It was so hot that day and I just remember treating that day like it was my wedding or something. I was so excited knowing that I get to see the film on opening night with Dash and then the next day with my nephew. That was the first film he ever saw in theaters. I documented that here in my diary and it is something that will always stay with me. Taking him to his first MCU film at the same theater I saw the very first Sony Spider Man aka Toby M when I was 7. What a full circle moment that Marvel had given me. Seeing that joy and wonder in his eyes will always be something that I cherish, all thanks to this cinematic universe. Thor Raganarok was released at another shitty low point in my life. But hey, I went, and damn did I fall in love with it. I have since seen that film 20x or more. It is one of my favorite films in the MCU. I cried so many personal tears earlier that day. Thor, Loki, Valkerie, Korg, Meek and the Hulk made me feel so at ease and really just turned my frown upside down. Along came the historic Black Panther premiere which I witnessed first hand and will forever be grateful I was in the audience when Chadwick Boseman forever became the Black Panther.  Plus a guy told me I was hot before I entered the theater, so that was a HUGE confidence boost, even though i'm in a relationship, it's nice to know people still think fondly of me, LOL. Infinity War was an experience i'll never forget. Once again my eye played apart in this. I knew I was getting surgery a week prior to that film releasing. I was not about to miss it. I showed up with my walking stick and my Nick Fury eye patch. I gasped, laughed, cried and felt every emotion in the human body all up until "Mr Stark, I don't feel so good". It was the ride of a lifetime and a movie experience that i'm so glad my illness didn't hold me back from. Plus I got to work with Opposites to promote the film. I got to wear a Spider-Man suit... Talk about a dream coming to life. I cherish that suit, even though my other half hates it, lol. It just made the experience even more special. Antman & The Wasp released at one of the happiest times in my life. It really was the most at ease I have been throughout the whole MCU journey. Captain Marvel will always be the bookmark before I entered New York. I'll aways have the 2 connected as one of the most insightful periods of growth in my life. Now that i'm back in SF to finish my endgame, finish what I can so I can move on with my life. Endgame is finally here. I have so many emotions going into Thursday evening. I literally had to document how i'm feeling because I know I am about to be apart of history when I witness one of the biggest events take place before my eyes. This is something I will share with my kids one day. I will be there as the world watches the ending to the greatest movie saga ever explored on screen. I have such a close connection the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It goes beyond the films and my heart feels so close to these for all the reasons and more that I listed before this. I am so thankful that this film saga has been here with me through a lot of the major points in my life so far. I can't imagine a world where I didn't have these heroes to look to on screen, to better myself off screen. I literally don't know how to feel, other than feel every damn feel in my body before I watch Thanos get his purple ass handed back to him. It's true, we are in the Endgame now, Dr. Strange. The MCU and myself. This part may be ending, but our story is far from over. As we all move onto the next saga of our lives...

And hey we all know i'll be back when Spider-Man Far From Home Is Released. and that right there is my post credit scene, SUCK IT FURY AKA MY TWIN... LOL, JK. 

​Love, Dom

Photographer: Dom Baza

What I'm Wearing: Flannel - H&M, Shirt- Marvel Collection, Jeans - H&M, Boots - Forever 21

PRESS PLAY
Every post I will include the song that inspired me to build a post around it's title

Page 124
​Stories From My Life - Chapter 13