Singe Issue Hall of Fame: Uncanny X-Men #186

I didn't pick up any X-Men comics off the racks after 1983, so I missed most of this stuff the first time around. While I am just as likely as the next person to slag Chris Claremont these days, I must admit that he hit the ball out of the park on a regular occasion back in the 80s. This issue represents a real change of pace and give the reader the opportunity to catch his or her breath. Storm has lost her powers, and she is resting/recuperating at Forge's place in Dallas. Forge is racked with guilt as his is partly to blame for her power loss. The bulk of the issue is an engaging conversation between the two. That kind of stuff is standard fare these days, but it was pretty novel back then and it was handled very well, as Barry Windsor Smith's storytelling abilities really shine. To this day, I don't know much about Forge, but I find him to be quite intriguing and I really like how Claremont just dropped him into the X-world as a fully formed character and forces the reader to gather tidbits of information where they can. Ultimately, Storm overhears a conversation between Forge and Gyrich and the relative calm comes to an end. It was nice while it lasted. Great stuff.