A TikTok user is going viral for their interpretation of what would happen if Venom, the alien symbiote from Marvel Comics, got ahold of the iconic Charizard from the Pokemon series. Posted only a day ago, the video has already garnered nearly half a million views, and continues to skyrocket in numbers.
The Fire-type Pokemon made its first appearance in the original Pokemon Red and Blue games of the mid-90s before exploding in popularity due to Charizard's adventures with Ash Ketchum in the anime series. Arguably the most recognizable creature in the series besides its mascot Pikachu, Charizard remains an all-time favorite for a large portion of the Pokemon fanbase. In fact, a recent rumor suggests the anime may be bringing back Ash's Charizard, an extremely nostalgic moment for longtime fans should it happen.
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The TikTok video comes from user EricsArtverse, who, at the time of writing, has already racked up over 407,000 views and over 68,000 likes. The footage, set to Masked Wolf's "Astronaut In The Ocean," shows the initial request, spoken through a digitally programmed voice. Along with the drop of the beat, the TikToker turns the card around to reveal the holographic artwork that combines Venom and the Fire-type Pokemon into one intimidating dragon. While not official, the caption included of "shipping them out tomorrow" indicates fans can purchase this mashup for themselves. However, another post from states that only 25 copies of the card are being produced.
TikTok as a platform is no stranger to unique Pokemon artwork, particularly that of Charizard. Back in January, another TikTok artist went viral for painting a MacBook to look like the Charizard Pokemon card. While not an actual card, the MacBook's design emulated the legendary first edition version of Charizard, complete with holographic effects. The Charizard Venom card opts for a more current look, bearing somewhat of a resemblance to the Pokemon EX card series.
Pokemon as a franchise, especially with its trading cards, has skyrocket in popularity in the past year or so. A rash of astronomical Pokemon card purchases have happened, including a Charizard card bought by rapper Logic for over $200,000. Additionally, McDonald's Pokemon card Happy Meal promotion in celebration of the franchise's 25th anniversary became so sought after that McDonald's had to issue an official statement on card scalpers.
While the Venom-Charizard mashup is certainly appealing to the eye, the fact that the Pokemon card isn't official and limited to 25 copies make the item quite niche. However, fans of Venom-tinged versions of other characters are in luck. Collectibles company Hot Toys is making a Venomized Baby Groot figure, set to release later this year.
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Source: TikTok