There are plenty of Pokémon cards out there with alternate art, but one you’ve probably never seen comes from an art contest dating all the way back to 2002.
A Snorlax alternate fan-made art card has resurfaced online alongside the 20 runner-ups who almost had their creations turned into reality.
Back in 2022, Wizards of the Coast held a drawing competition, asking Pokémon fans to create new card artwork for Snorlax with the winner getting printed. Thanks to Johto Times on Nov. 16, not only do we get to see this winning card but also some other cool art.
Craig Turvey was the artist who won the competition for his design that features a sleeping Snorlax with a tiny Eevee asleep nearby. While the art doesn’t look too impressive by today’s standards, it still has plenty of charm and now has become quite the collector’s item.
After the official Wizards of the Coast Pokémon website closed down, the entries into this competition were lost to time. But now they’re back, and just a glance can take you back to the origins of the Pokémon fandom in 2002.
Turvey explained he made his winning artwork in just one night. Over the years he has traded signed versions of the card for other cards and even signed some for members of his league.
If you’re hoping to add this piece of Pokémon history to your collection, you might need to save some money first. Right now, according to a listing on eBay, the price starts at over $1,000, and listings increase in value from there.
Pokémon has increased the frequency of their drawing competitions since 2002 and now we even get the yearly Illustrator Contest bringing new cards into the Pokémon TCG cannon with artwork from fans.
If you’re interested in getting involved, the Pokémon Illustration Contest 2024 is running right now until Jan. 31.
Published: Nov 17, 2023 01:18 am