I had started reading comics at the age of 9 because there weren’t enough animations on television and I didn’t like the ones that were already there. I did not expect it but I started to like reading comics, they intrigued my imagination which I expressed through drawing and I advanced my drawing skills by studying the art in the comic books. You can say that out of necessity I got into comics. They were there for studying and to read in my spare time but eventually, I fell in love with them!

 At the age of 13, my eye caught a comic book which had an amazing cover with the most realistic art hanging by a peg next to the entrance of my local corner store. I was transfixed and I was standing there for several seconds studying and building up a story for what I saw on the cover. As I returned home I could not forget it so I went back and bought it!

It was a superhero comic translated from English to Greek and it featured 3 comics from Marvel – the Uncanny X-Men, New Mutants and Alpha Flight! On the cover was the New Mutants and the comic was named X-Men.

I was amazed by how good the creative team of Chris Claremont and John Byrne were so I loved the X-Men, I was fascinated with Alpha Flight this new Canadian superhero team that John Byrne was introducing, but I identified immediately with the New Mutants!

The New Mutants were a bunch of teenagers trying to fit in while feeling moody, awkward and outcasts but they had superpowers! Yes at that age I felt just like that and I wished I had superpowers too but also and mostly I just wanted to have friends just like them!

Chris Claremont had succeeded to build for each and one of them a true personality and Sal Buscema’s art was the type I called “realistic”…they seemed so authentic and real to me and that hooked me. As I grew older I continued to read their stories as they grew up and became X-Force and up to today I’m still following Dani’s, Sam’s, Berto’s, Rahne’s, Amara’s and Xi’an’s adventures wherever they might be featured.

My love for the New Mutants is big and great. They got me hooked on comics and I will always feel fortunate for that. I will always read their stories and it will be like visiting old friends.

If you are fans of the New Mutants I believe you will understand my passion.

For you who are not I strongly suggest to read their stories, I’m sure you will enjoy them as much as the rest of us