Coolness, the Quest for Success, and the Second Coming of Spider-Man

There is something tremendously charming about any celebrity that manages to remain humble to their ultra-charmed pageant-esque existence. Somehow, under mysterious circumstances, these individuals were dealt a shiny card that not a large percentage of people are given, and then generally spend the rest of their lives using that same card, flashing it at every exclusive doorway.

I recently saw a Prada ad that made me die a little inside. Remember when Tobey Maguire was just another unassuming boy in the pictures, someone the fanboys could look up to when he soared through the air with the greatest of ease? Never did I see Tobey Maguire on the cover of any high fashion magazine (sorry gents but GQ does not count), only publications having to do with film and entertainment. He delivered such a sincere portrayal of Peter Parker, since he himself had been pegged as a bit of a Regular Joe while standing beside the likes of James Franco. 2002’s Spider-Man proved worthy, and featuring a darling up-and-coming actor (with a bit of rosacea to help his sweet-faced demeanor) really boosted the confidence of the fans. But what’s Tobey up to now?

Prada. That’s what.

The Amazing Spider-Man, set to hit theaters on July 3rd 2012, has caused a bit of a ruffle in the polyester costumes of fanboys across the board. Some are excited (like myself), while others feel a strange sense of abandonment…but from whom? Surely not our good ol’ Tobey, the boy who brought Peter to life! No, sadly it seems more to be a self-inflicted denial when it comes to the readers’ sentiment. Andrew Garfield, yet another fresh-faced star straight out of a few movies you probably thought about seeing but didn’t, has been handed the Spidey torch, carrying it as far as any honest celebrity could, given his role both as a movie star and a humble fan.

Surely you’ve heard about what happened at San Diego Comic Con 2011, at The Amazing Spider-Man panel. You know, that one panel that I didn’t go to? Right, that’s the one. In case you didn’t, here’s a basic recap:

Fanboy in the worlds cheapest Spidey costume goes up to microphone to gush about Spider-Man. Fanboy gushes about Spider-Man. Fanboy takes off mask. Accent rapidly shifts from American to English. Fanboy is Andrew Garfield. The crowd goes wild.

The most touching thing about this event is that he actually seemed pretty nervous. Taking out a piece of paper, he reads off his experience as a young lad in England pouring over issues of this very comic book, dreaming up his little boy dreams of being a big bold hero just like Spider-Man, and reflecting on that time while coming to terms with what he means to people now, and what Spider-Man still means to him.

Ultimately, his goal was to express his equality with everyone else in the room. He didn’t saunter onto the stage hidden behind designer clothes, or slouch down into his chair and sip from a bottled water, or even act timid and awkward about his new celebrity status. He did what any fan would do who just won the ultimate contest. He freaked out a little bit!

What’s cooler than being cool? Being not cool, I suppose. There was absolutely nothing cool about this stunt, though everything about it was exciting, admirable, charming, and brave. Anyone can stand infront of a camera and say, “sure I’ll sell your clothes, I’m famous, aren’t I?” But what about the ones who just stay as they are?

I hope that I never see Andrew Garfield in a Gucci ad as I saw Chris Evans, or a Prada spread like Tobey. Not because I don’t want him to sell out, or be forced adhere to the sweet nature of the character he’s portraying. It’s only acting, I know that. However, the difference herein is the personal connection to the character. It seems that what he wants people to know is that he does in fact have something in common with Peter Parker. Something that Chris Evans probably doesn’t carry with Steve Rogers.

Chris Evans and Tobey Maguire have proven themselves to be actors, celebrities. It gets somewhat irritating when Spider-Man gets too cocky, which is why he has his alter-ego, Peter Parker. Peter waters down the ridiculous actions and phrases of Spider-Man, making both enjoyable. After seeing what Andrew Garfield as a simple, sincere fan and individual had to say, I simply don’t feel he needs to supplement himself with anything, other than some alter-egos from time to time.