With the history of the cinematic Spider-Man spanning two decades now, many have noted the differences between the films and the comic books. This has led to fans checking out the specific comparisons in versions of Spider-Man, including Andrew Garfield's portrayal of the beloved character in The Amazing Spider-Man movies.
He’s actually quite close to the comic book Spider-Man, as there are a number of similarities that make him very similar t0 the character from the source material. Of course, some liberties were taken to make him unique- that ended up distancing him from the comic book version of the character.
10 Accurate: His Height Is The Same As Comic Book Spider-Man
The height of Peter Parker has never been his stand-out feature, as he’s pretty average in comparison to other superheroes. He’s not short by any means but isn’t the tallest either, which describes Andrew Garfield pretty well, too.
As it is, the actor stands at 5 feet and 10 inches, which is the exact same as the comic book Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland are much shorter in this area, making Andrew Garfield the best representation of what Peter Parker is supposed to look, according to height.
9 Not Accurate: The Extreme Confidence That Made Him So Aloof
While there are some superheroes that Spider-Man can’t stand, he gets along with most of them. Andrew Garfield’s version wasn’t like that, as he was too confident in his abilities- which lead him to the point where he was an aloof person that didn’t seek friendship.
This kind of supreme independence made him out to be arrogant, which the comic book Peter Parker isn’t. The comics’ version was initially high on his newfound powers, but he didn’t shun others the way Andrew Garfield’s version did in general.
While it is possible that what came off as aloof confidence was actually meant to be social awkwardness, it simply did not translate properly on screen.
8 Accurate: The Habit Of Making Constant Quips
It wouldn’t be Spider-Man if he didn’t have his fun while battling the bad guys, although this has been less frequent in live-action, save for Andrew Garfield’s version. He’s the Spider-Man who kept the quips coming in at a fast pace and in creative ways.
He’s also the Spider-Man that commented on things while battling foes, which is a noted mannerism from the comics. Garfield’s version brought this out in his outward attitude as well in order to communicate the carefree style Spider-Man has.
7 Not Accurate: The Minimal Interest In All Things Scientific
While The Amazing Spider-Man showed Peter having an aptitude for science, he wasn’t drawn to it as much. He was smart and savvy, yet lacked the passion that the comic book version has for this field. The original Peter Parker has even gone on to get a doctorate, while Garfield’s version wasn’t that interested.
He was more into the idea of following Gwen’s career and doing whatever came his way. His interest in science was in a rather lazy manner, in that he was good in it but wasn’t invested in it the way the standard Peter Parker is supposed to be.
6 Accurate: Him Being Nimble And Acrobatic
All the characters in Spider-Man have gone through redesigns, with The Amazing Spider-Man variant being of note due to it capturing the agile characteristics of Spider-Man. Andrew Garfield had a quick and athletic feel to his turn in the role, which is what the comic book version is all about.
While strength is part of Spider-Man’s powers, it’s his quickness that catches one’s eye about him. Andrew Garfield’s version is easily the quickest seen in live-action, with his agility second to none and his acrobatic prowess being noteworthy.
5 Not Accurate: His Confrontational Attitude That Removed Any Chance Of Him Being A Pushover
Peter Parker in the comics was noted for being relatively timid. He wasn’t the total doormat that the Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland have been shown to be, but mellow enough that he can come across as a “nerd” and soft-spoken person.
Andrew Garfield’s version wasn’t believable as a bully victim since he was too confrontational. He never backed down from anything and was by no means a pushover. This made him the most confident Spider-Man there was, as he was always willing to get in the face of those he didn’t like but separated him from the likeness with the comic book version.
4 Accurate: His Hothead Tendencies Where He Becomes Too Emotional
Spider-Man generally doesn’t lose his cool often, but he does have moments where he’s too emotional and becomes wrapped up in his anger to keep focus. Andrew Garfield’s version was the same, as he involved himself in stuff like arguing with this version of Uncle Ben and getting angry when things didn’t go his way.
Peter Parker hasn’t been easygoing all the time in the comics, as he has the tendency to become a hothead at times. The Amazing Spider-Man featured Peter as an emotional person who wasn’t shy to make these emotions known.
3 Not Accurate: The Relatively Lower Consideration He Gave Toward Aunt May
No matter which version of Aunt May it is, Peter is shown to be close to her. He’s the closest to Aunt May in the comics, for whose survival he even made a deal with Mephisto. However, The Amazing Spider-Man didn’t feature Peter to give her as much consideration.
This version had a good relationship with Aunt May but lacked the closeness that made them as good as mother and son. He wasn’t as devoted to her while keeping things secret from her apart from his role as Spider-Man.
2 Accurate: The Love He Had For Gwen Stacy And Being Shattered After Her Death
Some accuse this Spider-Man of being totally head over heels for his love interest, but that’s how the comic book version was as well. This version of Gwen Stacy was whom Peter Parker’s characterization revolved around, and he was understandably distraught after her demise.
The extreme depression was in, and his prior devotion to his love, was adapted almost as it was from the comics. Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man was definitely the most accurate where the romance aspect of the character was concerned as he brought in all facets that came with this area.
1 Not Accurate: His Short Attention Span Toward Responsiblity
Spider-Man’s motto and the words he’s lived by have always been about taking responsibility. However, Andrew Garfield’s version wasn’t too dedicated to this as he had a relatively low attention span and shifted from one thing to another.
He didn’t have the real-world problems that the comic book Peter Parker made so relatable, and even if he did, these things were toned down. Garfield’s version had something of a skater guy mentality, in that he remained cool in composure and didn’t fret on the responsible parts of life.