Issue(s): Uncanny X-Men #122
Cover Date: Jun 79
Title: "Cry for the children!"
Credits:
Chris Claremont - Scripter
Chris Claremont & John Byrne - Plotter
John Byrne - Penciler
Terry Austin - Inker

Review/plot:
This issue starts off with a nice sequence with Wolverine putting himself in danger in the Danger Room in order to force Colossus to use his full strength, helping him regain the confidence he's been lacking lately as he's been knocked around repeatedly by various foes the X-Men have gone up against.

This whole issue is more or less a down-time book, following up on Cyclops and Colleen Wing's budding romance, Professor Xavier in space, Jean running into Jason Wyngarde for the first time on her way to Muir Island (and some hints about the upcoming Muir Island saga), Mariko showing up at the New York Embassy, and the X-Men restoring Xavier's mansion since it's been mothballed after Xavier left.

The main plot focuses on Storm exploring Harlem.

She gets into trouble with some young heroin addicts and is helped out by Power Man and Misty Knight.

In a prologue for the next arc, Juggernaut and Black Tom hire Arcade to kill the X-Men.

The Classic X-Men back-up for this issue, by Nocenti, has the X-Men at a costume party, looking for the host's friend's psychotic ex-husband. It's poorly done.

Quality Rating: A-

Historical Significance Rating: 3

Chronological Placement Considerations: Takes place after Power Man & Iron Fist #57.

References:

• Colossus has been fretting about his strength since he was defeated by Magneto in Uncanny X-Men #112-113.
  
• Cyclops mentions the "crazy fight with the Living Monolith" which took place in Power Man & Iron Fist #57.
  
• Xavier and Lilandra became mind-linked in Uncanny X-Men #97.
  
• Storm compares the stench in a Harlem project to the refuse in the Sun God's palace from Uncanny X-Men #116.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? P - (Classic X-Men Reprints add new scenes)

My Reprint: Classic X-Men #28

Some graffiti in the heroin addicts' room makes fun of Gene Simmons, which is interesting because Marvel had done those KISS Super Specials.

According to Byrne, he basically just laid out this issue and most of the art is Terry Austin. Austin did all the graffiti in the heroin addict's building.

One interesting thing about the backup story- it was published right before Inferno, and Nocenti apparently didn't like the way the Scott and Maddie thing was being resolved, since she used it to suggest Scott had difficulty being faithful.

Colossus is one of Marvels greatest X-Meb personas and it literally took until a DeadPool Movie with Ryan Reynolds to allow him some accurate Air Time!! Colossus Rules, get him some air time Marvel!?

I don't think it's accurate to call Storm's story the "main plot." It's only about a page longer than the Colossus sequence, and the Cyclops and Colleen subplot spans more of the issue, though it takes up less total space. The main body of the story even ends with that thread. Honestly "plot" is not a word I'd use in conjunction with this issue. It's a pair of short stories bookending a sequence of subplots, shot through with some common themes.