The Energon Pub

[lanzajr26]

When I was a kid and the first Transformers with rub symbols appeared, I thought they were the coolest thing since sliced bread. As time wore on, they were forgotten, just another gimmick that lost its appeal after the third or fourth rub. It's not like I didn't already know who was an Autobot or a Decepticon, and I'm sure they could tell each other apart just fine as well. But I was a kid so I rubbed them and made them light up in the warm sunlight when I was bored.

Fast forward to this morning when I received my Classics Cliffjumper and Mirage in the mail. I take l'il Cliffjumper out of the package and give him a once over and the first thing I notice is that his rub sign is applied crooked, and nearly hanging off the edge of the little raised section on his roof. So I peel it off and place it on correctly and transform him a few times. After a few minutes I look at that rub symbol and I'm thinking that he'd probably look a lot better if he didn't have it at all. In fact, now that I look at most of my Transformers that darn rub symbol just sticks out like a sore thumb against their nicely done paint apps.

In the end I peeled the rub symbol off and tossed it. I'm about to do the same with Mirage. How do you guys feel about them? Do they still have a place with your transformers? Do actually like the gimmicky little things?

[Larsgoes2hell]

i like it. it just makes sense to have them. atleast for the feel of G1 for the classics line. i still rub mine. i get bummed when they don't work so well anymore like on my trypticon.

[kirbenvost]

Well, thinking about it, it's a lame idea, as they obviously know who's who, and often have another completely visible faction symbol (in G1), and even if they didn't, it's rather conspicuous anyway...

But Transformers had them when I was a kid, so as a pure nostalgia thing, I think they're awesome. I'm keeping the rub signs on all my Classics.

[Kimmer]

the rub signs are a must!!

[Insurgent]

I keep them on my classics, but I peel them off and stick them somewhere more inconspicuious. Like on the underside of BB's roof, or in the centre of Starscreams back on the inside.

[Dispensor]

They weren't just a gimmick -- they were to help tell whether or not you got the genuine package, and not a knockoff.

[Robinson]

I would like them better if they didnt have the square. Like if it was cut so that it was just the symbol, or cut a little tighter.

[Sherade]

The were always cool, except for blasters placement:

[Loki41872]

The were always cool, except for blasters placement:

Rub that and you'll find out why they call him "Blaster".

[Dispensor]

The were always cool, except for blasters placement:

[kirbenvost]

That must be why he's so cheerful.

[Sherade]

Sad part is, I usually blow on the signs because it's easier, not with Blaster though.

[lanzajr26]

They weren't just a gimmick -- they were to help tell whether or not you got the genuine package, and not a knockoff.

That was the original intention but anymore they are a gimmick. Authentication is kind of a moot point nowadays. It's not like someone couldn't hit Reprolabels and slap them on today's knockoffs.

[coBra-lock]

kind of neat, not neat how they start to peel off and the edges come up after awhile

[Powersa]

Rub signs are fine. In early days, each figure used to have several faction logos in robot and alt modes. These days there is hardly any, so a rub sign at least serves as a symbol.

Take classic bumblebee for example - there is no autobot logo in either mode. Without a rub sign, there will be no autobot symbol at all.

Classic Starscream and Ramjet will look much better if there were decepticon symbols painted on their wings.

[CyberTooth]

Sad part is, I usually blow on the signs because it's easier, not with Blaster though.

I just repeated this so that those who may be a little slow get the chance to let this sink in.

As for rubsigns... they may have had a secondary purpose of authenticity, however, for the sake of the knowing which faction a particular robot was working with, well it was a pretty lame gimmick that really boiled down to being a mood ring on your robot. Most robots had a whole mess of faction symbols on their body anyway one color changing one really didn't hide anything special. Unless of course you got the rare misplaced one; Decepticon on an Autobot or the other way.

[Thenedain]

I love 'em, myself. I've been kind of tempted to pick up the big Alternator sized ones from Reprolabels to stick on some of my Alts/Binals, just because they're kind of fun.

[Cybertronian Vanguard]

The were always cool, except for blasters placement:

I laughed so hard after I figured out where it was.

[G1 Blaster]

Sad part is, I usually blow on the signs because it's easier, not with Blaster though.

Don't worry, I would have shot you if you had tried to anyways.

[GetterDragun]

My friend asked me to get him a Soundwave the other day (he's not a collector, it's just something he saw I had and wanted it for nostalgia purposes). When I got him reissue SOundwave, the first thing he said was "It better have a rub sticker."

I agree, rub symbols rule.

[lanzajr26]

Lots of purists out there, that's good to see

One funny observation about the rub symbols: it's so hot here in Colorado Springs tonight that my rub symbols are permanently lit up.

[Gutter Bunny]

Lots of purists out there, that's good to see

One funny observation about the rub symbols: it's so hot here in Colorado Springs tonight that my rub symbols are permanently lit up.

off-topic: *sniff...i miss the springs...

back on topic: I never really cared one way or the other for the little rub-symbol...i suppose if i had to chose, i'd say bright purple sticker all the way

[Tramp]

Personally, I love rub symbols. They make perfect sense. One of the ponts of the alternate modes is disguise. The purpose of the rub signs is to hid the fact that a given character is an Autobot or Decepticon—in essence, whether it is a Transformer at all—particularly from the enemy. Thus, you wouldn't want a visible faction symbol anywhere on the vehicle mode. You would want something hidden or disguised. The rub signs mimmick this especially on characters like Bumblebee, Hot Rod, and Starscream who have no areas on their robot bodies that are truely hidden in vehicle mode, particularly where their faction symbols are traditionally placed (chest for BB and Hot Rod, wings for Starscream). All of those areas are highly visible in vehicle mode and having obvious faction symbols there defeats the purpose of disguise. Hence the use of rub signs.

[Ramrider]

Same here. The ideal for me would be to have no faction symbols in vehicle mode and a visible one in robot mode. Of course, that's not always feasible (Classics Hot Rod or Bumblebee, for instance, pretty much have no decent flat areas in robot mode that don't show up in vehicle).

I generally place my rubsigns somewhere on the vehicle mode that's clearly visible, but not too conspicuous, and apply a proper faction symbol to the robot mode. Where that's not practical, the rubsign serves as a faction symbol in both modes (my Hot Rod, for instance, has his rubsign on the bonnet so it shows on his chest in robot mode; I've painted the edges of the rubsign gold to help it blend in).

Rubsigns are great.

[Tramp]

Same here. The ideal for me would be to have no faction symbols in vehicle mode and a visible one in robot mode. Of course, that's not always feasible (Classics Hot Rod or Bumblebee, for instance, pretty much have no decent flat areas in robot mode that don't show up in vehicle).

I generally place my rubsigns somewhere on the vehicle mode that's clearly visible, but not too conspicuous, and apply a proper faction symbol to the robot mode. Where that's not practical, the rubsign serves as a faction symbol in both modes (my Hot Rod, for instance, has his rubsign on the bonnet so it shows on his chest in robot mode; I've painted the edges of the rubsign gold to help it blend in).

Rubsigns are great.

I did the same thing with my Hot Rod, except paint the edges gold. I didn't bother with that.