Amex Invites: Marvel Universe Live

Last week I had the opportunity to take my son to Marvel Universe Live at the Air Canada Centre thanks to American Express Front Of The Line. Marvel Universe Live is an experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. The action-packed live show combines all the excitement of Marvel’s fantastic characters combined with Disney’s mastery of the spectacle. It’s the perfect bonding event for comicbook fans both young and old. I knew my son would be in for an exciting night since we's be close to the action with our tickets purchased through American Express’ Front Of The Line reserved allotments.

As we arrived at the venue, we saw miniature Wolverines flexing their padded muscles and pint-sized Captain Americas brandishing their shields. Wearing our Avengers T-shirts, my son and I posed for pictures with fully costumed Spider-Man impersonators and put our best 'Hulk Smash' faces on as we prepared for the show. At this point I noticed it wasn’t only the kids that were caught up in the cosplay -- parents and chaperones alike donned their favorite likeness to get into the superhero mood, too.

After grabbing a box of popcorn and sipping slushies out of our Spider-Man collector cups, my son and I were escorted to our seats. After getting settled, the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. addressed the crowd and my son's excitement kicked into overdrive. Shortly after a crack of thunder was heard, Thor appeared before our eyes in a flash of lightening and was holding the Tesseract. The crowd erupted as Odin’s Son told us of his battle to keep the power of the Cube out of his evil brother Loki’s hands. Fireworks had every eye glued to the stage as we were welcomed into Tony Stark’s lab.

Out of nowhere, Spider-Man flipped through a window, acrobatically landing a few feet from Tony. Watching Spidey backflip and somersault across the platform brought him to life in a way that is hard to compare to any other medium. It was at that moment that everyone knew they were in for something truly special. The action scenes were an extravaganza. The perfectly choreographed battles were adrenaline-pumping. Watching Thor strike at The Rhino with Mjolnir in a flash of lightening or Spider-Man cling to the Green Goblin’s sled as they flew around the arena was captivating. To call the production big would be an understatement.

Through it all, each character's individual personalities stole the show. Seeing Wolverine climb an icy mountain alongside Bruce Banner as he struggled to contain the Hulk was suspenseful and the final battle between the forces of good an evil was so elaborate that it was hard to keep track of who was kicking who’s butt.

By the time the show finished it was hard to choose a favorite moment. My son Sayj raved over Wolverine’s dirt bike flips and was happy to see his favorite villain Loki come close to trouncing the Avengers. At the end of the night, I shared a special moment with my son that will be a fond memory as he continues to discover more about the Marvel universe -- one that exemplifies Marvel's generational appeal and that will have us trading stories for years to come.

I can't wait to take Sayj to another show because we experienced so many great moments together at Marvel Universe Live. Thankfully, as an Amex Cardmember I have www.AmexInvites.ca at my disposal. Through Invites, I am able to peruse hot upcoming shows and events ranging from family friendly theatre events to exclusive dining experiences, to amazing concerts. And by signing up for their Front Of The Line e-mail updates, I’m able to keep up-to-date on presales for awesome events coming to my city.

If you want to experience something like I did be sure to explore www.AmexInvites.ca to learn more about awesome events that you and your kids can create lasting memories at.

This post was sponsored by Amex Canada. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.