Venom has… a unique reputation in Marvel fandom. To put it less delicately, he’s known for his iconically horny brand, beloved both for his antihero status and for the slimy, carnivorous monster sex he may or may not be having with his human host Eddie Brock. (That’s Tom Hardy in the movies, BTW.)
So when an official PlayStation account tweeted an ad promising “19 inches of Venom,” fans interpreted this offer in an entirely predictable way.
The ad itself is for a collector’s edition of the PS5 game Spider-Man 2, which comes with a 19-inch Venom statue. It’s not actually a sexy product. But you have to wonder if this phrasing was intentional, because “treat yourself to 19 inches of Venom” is an enviably attention-grabbing slogan.
Along with many variations on the theme of “treat yourself to WHAT?!” the only natural reaction to this tweet is, of course, jokes about getting banged by Venom.
Some commenters also questioned why PlayStation UK had chosen not to delete the tweet. Under normal circumstances, most brands would delete a marketing post that attracted a flood of NSFW responses. It’s not exactly in line with Spider-Man’s family-friendly vibe. But if you believe that any publicity is good publicity, this was definitely a successful ad.
To be honest, Marvel has only itself to blame for Venom’s horny fandom. Fans have been sexualizing Venom for a while, but the character’s official image has really leaned into this idea over the past few years.
Several recent comics heavily imply that Venom and Eddie Brock share a sexual relationship, and there’s a definite erotic undertone to some of the character’s canonical art. So really, “treat yourself to 19 inches of Venom” is just a natural evolution of Venom’s brand.
