Issue(s): Amazing Spider-Man #223
Cover Date: Dec 81
Title: "Night of the ape!"
Credits:
J.M. DeMatteis - Script
Denny O'Neil - Plot
John Romita Jr. - Penciler
Al Milgrom - Inker
Mark Gruenwald - Assistant Editor
Tom DeFalco - Editor

Review/plot:
People! Apes are awesome. Super-apes more so. But you do not bring your super-apes to the library. It always ends in disaster.

And they may pretend to look sad while you're yelling at them about it, but all they know is that you're mad. They don't understand why.

The panel with the sad Igor the baboon is a little weird looking. If you look at it the wrong way, it looks kinda like a young wookie eating a cookie.

That aside, this is the return of John Romita Jr. to Amazing Spider-Man (he's been away since issue #218), and the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes are a great way to wait for Roger Stern to show up next issue.

The story is that nerdy student Roger Hochberg is in the library when the Ghost and his apes blunder their way into burning down the library (the Red Ghost just wanted to borrow a book). So since he's the only one that knows they were involved, they are now stalking him and trying to kill him. Nerdy Peter Parker feels a kinship with Roger, and tries to befriend him while also staying close to him as Spider-Man.

Things don't go so well when Peter invites Roger to a party.

But Spider-Man is able to fight off the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes (they flee when the police show up)...

...and Roger takes a lesson from Spider-Man's bravery.

Roger Hochberg will have several more appearances.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first Roger Hochberg. Beginning John Romita Jr.'s run.

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I've always liked the art for Baboon's transformation, I have to picture it has a cartoony drum-roll or maybe gears turning.

Doesnt Mia here become Roger's girlfriend and later try to pick up Pete?

It is Mia Carrera. Thanks. Added her.