The Energon Pub

Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:59 am

i've encountered several variations of the phrase "you're not a true fan unless/i'm a true fan because" in many fandoms but how does one measure his or her worth as a true fan? it can't be due to the size of one's collection because it's possible to accumulate a huge amount of merchandise yet have little or no knowledge or care about the things you're collecting. i've encountered people who say they're fans of this and that but illegally acquire the sources of their fandom. i've also encountered fans claiming that other fans are not true fans if they accept/like things that contradict their own preferences. so is there a guide or measure to gauge one's fandom or is it too varied from person to person that it depends on who you're talking to? because how can you compare a guy who only likes to read practically everything on tfwiki and can't afford to buy any of the toys unless loose to a guy who owns every combiner toy ever but only does so because he likes combining mecha (no matter the franchise)?

Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:22 pm

the notion of a true fan is much like the unicorn, abominable snowman,yeti, or boogyman a myth unfortunately. anyone who claims otherwise is misled,misinformed or both

but i do agree there is quite a bit of it in the fandom and i try to avoid it whenever possible
on a lighter note i am a true fan because i bleed energon and pee electrum 8-}

News Credits: 1 · Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:47 pm

By being true to who they are and what they want in there collection. Im a true fan cause i drink energon (two types of drinks ive made up light energon that RX airazona icetea :KREMZEEK:

and heavy energon henny+andre cold duck

both on the rocks

News Credits: 1 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:45 am

You're a true fan when:

A) you reallyreallyrealy like Transformers (this is the 'fan' part);
B) are not lying about it and secretly NOT like Transformers (the 'true' part).

News Credits: 2 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 3:01 am

People will throw around the term as an act of superiority; any "true fan" would agree with me on this subject that I'm only using as an example so it doesn't really matter. I heard this term dropped more than a few times while the first movie was in production. "No 'true fan' would accept all the changes" is a phrase you'd be likely to hear.

The idea is that a "true fan" agrees with whoever is using the term, because no "true fan" would have it any other way. The truth of the matter is, there's really no such thing. You could call yourself a true fan, but then what does that make anyone who disagrees with you? It's basically saying "My opinion overrides yours, you obviously don't care about this enough."

News Credits: 1452 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 3:10 am

Synopsis of what Shadowman said.... There are no true fans, there are just fans.

News Credits: 3 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:00 am

A true fan is someone who enjoys the franchise, or parts of the franchise. Period.

Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:18 am

how far would one display his fanpersonism? i remembered the original thread i posted on another forums about being 'a true fan' and mentioned an article i read about a couple who got married and were big fans of 'gears of war' and a website mentioned how 'true fans' they are for cutting their wedding cake with prop replica gun mounted chainsaws. when does it end being a fan and start being obnoxious?

News Credits: 241 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:03 am

A true fan would be him. OK, maybe a little bit overboard...

News Credits: 2 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:07 am

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:A true fan would be him. OK, maybe a little bit overboard...

And that's exactly what I'm talking about. If he's a true fan, and I don't share his opinion, then what am I?

News Credits: 1 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 9:55 pm

To me a true fan is someone who will have met a couple of criterias.

1) When you can have an intelligent conversation w/ them about...we'll just say transformers for now, although this can apply to anything really. I didn't say that had to know everything about transformers, but they can at least know enough to have a conversation. This can apply to the toys, cartoons, movies, comics- any aspect if not all of them.

2) They have had a collection of transformers to show off. Perhaps not now, perhaps won't anymore, but they have at least built a collection at some point. Someone who remembers past collection fondly strikes me as someone who is a fan.

News Credits: 2 · Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:11 pm

Blackstreak wrote:To me a true fan is someone who will have met a couple of criterias.

1) When you can have an intelligent conversation w/ them about...we'll just say transformers for now, although this can apply to anything really. I didn't say that had to know everything about transformers, but they can at least know enough to have a conversation. This can apply to the toys, cartoons, movies, comics- any aspect if not all of them.

2) They have had a collection of transformers to show off. Perhaps not now, perhaps won't anymore, but they have at least built a collection at some point. Someone who remembers past collection fondly strikes me as someone who is a fan.

So what is someone who doesn't know enough to hold a conversation, and never collected any toys? Because I know a few people like that who still like Transformers.

News Credits: 12 · Wed Aug 10, 2011 12:41 am

Blurrz wrote:Synopsis of what Shadowman said.... There are no true fans, there are just fans.

Shh. You can't go telling people that kinda stuff.

*Hauls Blurrz away, never to be seen again*

On another note, I would be concerned if anyone had a blood vial in their collection with Peter Cullen's name on it.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 6:39 pm

You must own every toy ever produced, every comic ever printed, every episode of every cartoon, and all four movies. only then are you a true fan.

Sorry, but rules are rules. And I don't make the rules, I merely think them up and then sarcastically type them on internet forums.

Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:54 pm

Personally, I think a true fan is someone with three blades who can spin really fast to cool people off.

Beyond that, people are people - there's no rating system or gauge for how much of a fan one is or isn't.

Unless you have four spinning blades. Then you're just weird.

News Credits: 6188 · Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:06 pm

Hoitytoity wrote:Personally, I think a true fan is someone with three blades who can spin really fast to cool people off.

Beyond that, people are people - there's no rating system or gauge for how much of a fan one is or isn't.

Unless you have four spinning blades. Then you're just weird.

The problem arises when excrements hit you.
Especially if you have no blades.

I believe fandom is subjective, and whilst a geek/nerd/anorak/encyclopedia deserves recognition for it, that does not exclude someone who doesn't know/have as much as them.

Take, for example, my case: I would not define myself as True Fan (I have maybe a blade and a half.. ENOUGH!), but in my old household I was the Truest of them all, by comparison. And yes, everyone had a basic knowledge of the subject.

Sooo, yeah, I agree with above.

Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:32 pm

So… what would be a poser fan? Someone who just collects TOY ROBOTS for the girls? :lol:

I’d say a true fan is someone who, in this context, likes Transformers.

Putting other people down (especially people who share your interests) has nothing to do with “fandom” and everything to do with low self-esteem.

I'd say the whole thing is too silly to even worry about.

News Credits: 226 · Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:13 pm

Hoitytoity wrote:Personally, I think a true fan is someone with three blades who can spin really fast to cool people off.

Dyson would like a word with you.

Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:45 am

Burn wrote:
Hoitytoity wrote:Personally, I think a true fan is someone with three blades who can spin really fast to cool people off.

Dyson would like a word with you.

Pff. Poser D:

News Credits: 226 · Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:03 am

Hoitytoity wrote:
Burn wrote:
Hoitytoity wrote:Personally, I think a true fan is someone with three blades who can spin really fast to cool people off.

Dyson would like a word with you.

Pff. Poser D:

Have you seen these things in action? They are AWESOME!

Your "true" fans are a thing of the past!

Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:33 pm

if you're jumping up and down in your seat and your heartrate is excessively high for someone who is just sitting on a couch watching a movie, you're a fan. doesn't matter if you haven't been into it forever, whatever makes you excited, if you can honestly say it makes you happy, you're a real fan

Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:26 am

How to be a true fan:
1. Claim that Beast Wars is horrible because the Transformers turn into animals.
2. Attempt to start an argument whenever you see an opinion that differs from your own.
3. Never buy anything based on the Bayformers trilogy.
4. Constantly make wise cracks about Bay and Shia (even though no one ever responds to those posts and therefore no one gives a fudge about them).
5. Buy every single variation of every non-movie Seeker mold, even if it means handing over half your bank account to BBTS (Big Bad Toy Scams).
6. Complain about half the products Hasbro produces and praise every product TakaraTomy produces.
7. Post a hate comment on every Bayformers-related news article on the site. In fact, just hate everything Bayformers and be sure to let everyone know you didn't see any of the movies. Everybody is really interested in what movies you don't see, after all.
8. Maintain a smug, holier-than-thou attitude whenever communicating with someone who likes Beast Wars or Bayformers. May as well do this with Animated fans, too.
9. Convince yourself that if you don't like it, it's not canon.
10. Talk about how Bayformers was a disgrace to Transformers while making sure to steer conversations clear of Kiss Players. Wouldn't want somebody to point out the flaw in your biased assertion, after all.
11. If someone mentions Kiss Players:
a. Claim that it doesn't count.
b. Claim that it doesn't exist.
12. Spend money on as many third-party rip-offs products as possible.

FINALLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE:

13. Always point out that you are a true fan and that someone who disagrees with you isn't. Then proceed to brag about your collection and how you don't let Michael Bay get ticket revenue from you, leaving the non-true fan with the implication that a $10 movie ticket actually has more monetary value than all the Seeker redecos you shovel out so much money for.

I hope this helps you better understand what a true fan is.

News Credits: 241 · Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:26 am

Treetop Maximus wrote:How to be a true fan:
1. Claim that Beast Wars is horrible because the Transformers turn into animals.
2. Attempt to start an argument whenever you see an opinion that differs from your own.
3. Never buy anything based on the Bayformers trilogy.
4. Constantly make wise cracks about Bay and Shia (even though no one ever responds to those posts and therefore no one gives a fudge about them).
5. Buy every single variation of every non-movie Seeker mold, even if it means handing over half your bank account to BBTS (Big Bad Toy Scams).
6. Complain about half the products Hasbro produces and praise every product TakaraTomy produces.
7. Post a hate comment on every Bayformers-related news article on the site. In fact, just hate everything Bayformers and be sure to let everyone know you didn't see any of the movies. Everybody is really interested in what movies you don't see, after all.
8. Maintain a smug, holier-than-thou attitude whenever communicating with someone who likes Beast Wars or Bayformers. May as well do this with Animated fans, too.
9. Convince yourself that if you don't like it, it's not canon.
10. Talk about how Bayformers was a disgrace to Transformers while making sure to steer conversations clear of Kiss Players. Wouldn't want somebody to point out the flaw in your biased assertion, after all.
11. If someone mentions Kiss Players:
a. Claim that it doesn't count.
b. Claim that it doesn't exist.
12. Spend money on as many third-party rip-offs products as possible.

FINALLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE:

13. Always point out that you are a true fan and that someone who disagrees with you isn't. Then proceed to brag about your collection and how you don't let Michael Bay get ticket revenue from you, leaving the non-true fan with the implication that a $10 movie ticket actually has more monetary value than all the Seeker redecos you shovel out so much money for.

I hope this helps you better understand what a true fan is.