Comic-Con 2011: Watch Andrew Garfield’s Speech at THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Panel: “I Needed Spidey in My Life When I Was a Kid”

One of the highlights of Comic-Con 2010 occurred when a young boy walked up to the microphone at the Green Lantern panel and asked Ryan Reynolds what it felt like to say the Green Lantern oath.  Reynolds paused, then recited it from memory, which put a big smile on the boy’s face.

This year’s heartfelt equivalent comes from the Amazing Spider-Man panel.  A man in a storebought Spider-Man costume walked up to the microphone and exclaimed, “I think this might be the most incredible day of my life!”  Shortly after, he tore off the mask to reveal the beautiful face of Andrew Garfield.  Garfield went on earnestly in tribute to how much Spider-Man means to fans.  Here’s a taste:

“I needed Spidey in my life when I was a kid, and he gave me hope.”

Hit the jump for video of the speech, plus a full transcript.

“You have no idea how much this means to me. I’ve always wanted to come here as a fan, and this is my first time, so here I am, as a fan. I just want to say a couple of things. I’m Andrew Garfield and I’m going to be here introducing this panel, this Amazing Spider-Man panel.

Stan Lee says that the reason why Spidey is so popular is because all of us can relate to him, and I agree. I needed Spidey in my life when I was a kid, and he gave me hope. In every comic I read, he was living out my and every skinny boy’s fantasy of being stronger, of being free of the body I was born into, and that swinging sensation of flight. And upon receiving his power, unlike most who have become corrupted, he used it for good. And I think that we all wish we had the courage to stick up for ourselves more, to stick up for a loved one more, or even a stranger you see being mistreated, and Peter Parker has inspired me to feel stronger. He made me, Andrew, braver. He reassured me that by doing the right thing, it’s worth it. It’s worth the struggle, it’s worth the pain, it’s worth even the tears, the bruises, and the blood.

And, and, and I wouldn’t be able to stand here in front of you guys right now without feeling that Spider-Man was here with me with his reassuring hand on my shoulder, making sure I don’t fall over and concuss myself. He has inspired countless people: girls, boys, men, women, all of us, and he’s saved lives. And he’s saved my life. And I owe Webhead a lot and I owe Stan the Man a lot and I’m humbled to be here, like you do not know, to share the work that we’ve done with all of you. And this is my first Comic-Con. This is definitely the coolest moment of my life and thank you for being here to share it with me.”

Click here for all our Comic-Con 2011 coverage.