With so much amazing Pokemon TCG art revealed every single year, it’s getting increasingly frustrating to see the art confined to tiny cards instead of being sold and celebrated elsewhere.
It can be tough being a Pokemon TCG fan sometimes because while sure, you can technically buy any card you want, sometimes the market fluctuation means your Chase card is suddenly selling for north of $100. That or you have to pull 30-something Booster Packs to find it.
Now, that’s the game with any collectible trading card, but Pokemon, in particular, courts some incredibly talented artists for their cards, not to mention the fact that fans all across the world absolutely adore those little Pocket Monsters and often just want the artwork of their favorite ‘mons.
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One such example has come up recently, as Pokemon fan and artist Porter has shared a post to X, with the comment, “Pokemon should really start selling some of its TCG art as full-sized posters cause I want this on my wall”.
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Featured in the post is the Poliwhirl Illustration Rare card from Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 151 by artist Gemi. It’s a beautiful and slightly somber piece, showing Poliwhirl staring contemplatively into the puddles below as raindrops splash color across the scene.
This is one of my favorite Pokemon cards ever released, and while having the card is one thing, it sure would be nice to pay to have the full artwork up on my wall in all its glory.
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It seems other Pokemon TCG fans agree as well, as Porter’s original post is (at the time of writing) sitting at 19k likes and 2.7k reposts. Plus, fans in the comments are throwing their support behind the idea of using the card artwork elsewhere.
One comment shares a picture with the artwork as their phone background, alongside the comment, “My fav card art ever have it for my phone!”
A different comment raises a good point, adding, “I wonder if the artists are allowed to do this. In Magic [the Gathering], it’s pretty common for artists to sell prints of their card art, as well as the original.” So, it’s likely a contract stipulation, as Pokemon is notoriously careful with their brand.
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Related:
Dad shares his son’s “crazy” Pokemon TCG pull
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Replying to the poster idea, one comment responds by saying, “THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS.” Then, another excited comment adds, “LIKE THIS WOULD BE SO COOL AS A POSTER,” while sharing a picture of the recently released Pokemon TCG Temporal Forces Gastly card.
Part of The Pokemon Company and Creatures Inc.’s reluctance to use the Pokemon TCg artwork elsewhere is likely to retain exclusivity, helping to keep the cards feeling special when fans finally do pull them. Plus, as mentioned, licensing is very tricky for these characters.
But, when it comes to some of the less-popular cards like Poliwhirl, who, while gorgeous, isn’t anywhere near the top of the most valuable Pokemon cards lists, it feels like such a waste not letting fans appreciate the hard work of the artist, and help promote Pokemon TCG at the same time.
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Why even stop at posters? A Pokemon TCG artbook would do absolute gangbusters, and frankly, The Pokemon Company could likely sell one after each season of the TCG, perhaps collecting all the artwork from one generation into a large coffee-table release.
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Throw in some commentary and behind-the-scenes reveals, and fans would pay through the nose for such a gorgeous collector’s piece.
As with many things in the world of The Pokemon Company, much like their older games not being available to buy on Nintendo Switch, the strange restrictions on Pokemon TCG artwork feel like money left on the table when we all know fans would buy posters, coasters, and so much more.
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