The much anticipated release of Marvel’s latest and greatest movie “The Avengers” is just a few days away from releasing and the excitement at Upper Deck is surging like a repulsor ready to fire. Upper Deck’s 2012 Avengers Assemble trading card product has been very well received by fans and that is likely to continue as the movie appears to be generating some great early reviews. It is sure to break all sorts of box office records when it arrives in theaters here in the U.S. on Friday, May 4.

While I certainly saw a lot of stills from the new Avengers movie while building the trading card set, being able to see it on the big screen will be a huge thrill!

As the release draws closer, I am finding myself making plans to see the movie with equally enthusiastic co-workers — and not all of them are fanboys. Here at Upper Deck, we’ve always enjoyed and appreciated our very special relationship with Marvel, but from a personal level, participating in bringing the trading card product to market and seeing the film head to the big screen has been an awesome experience.

Artists drew "sketch cards" in the new Avengers trading card set which makes each of these cards like their own mini comic book.

My mom never understood why I would spend my allowance on comics or “those silly cartoons” as she called them, but I loved burrowing into my quiet reading place and getting lost in the Marvel universe. It seems like only a handful of my friends ever did get that, but what is interesting now is that these stories are gaining in popularity and notoriety as Marvel brings them to the big screen. That’s right, even my mom is getting into the excitement around the release by organizing a group of her lady friends to, “see the movie my boy worked on.” This of course is completely inaccurate, but I don’t have the heart to correct her, she seems so happy…

You can take home a piece of the movie with authentic memorabilia from the cast of The Avengers!

But I guess that makes it official; everyone and their mother is going to see “The Avengers” this weekend. Buy your tickets early by clicking here and enjoy what should be one of the best super hero movies in recent history.

You can also score autographs of your favorite characters in 2012 Marvel Avengers Assemble from Upper Deck!

The only question now is if I will see it in 3D, real D 3D, IMAX 3D or just plain old 2D like the pages of a comic? I guess I need some advice — how will you see “The Avengers” this weekend?

Travis Wingo has worked in the commercial printing industry for the past twelve years and has been an Upper Deck employee for the last four. He specializes in quality control, digital file preparation and is also a copywriter for Upper Deck contracted Marvel products.