Hot Flame or Calidus?

Discussion in 'Transformers 3rd Party Discussion' started by Death Dancaa, Sep 27, 2019.

  1. Death Dancaa

    Death Dancaa Rocknrollicon

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    I don’t particularly like third party figures. It’s just a quirk of mine that I don’t like buying a Transformer that’s not licensed. But I love the IDW version of Rodimus and there is no official one. And there’s not even an official stand in for his Lost Light colors. So I’ve decided to actually look and get a third party one. But I’m having trouble determining which one to go for. Opinions? Oh and I do intend to get the Lost Light version of whichever one I go for. I just like the color scheme.
     
  2. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    I've found that a good option is to just use the core robot from the PotP Rodimus as the IDW Hot Rod if you want to stay in scale for CHUG bots because if you care about scale, Caldius and Hot Flame are about Voyager sized, while most of the CHUG IDW Lost Light crew are Deluxe. He might look a little weird, towering over everyone.

    Do you are about Transformation? SXS's is allegedly a pain in the ass. Caldius is a lot easier to convert, but is way less book accurate.

    If you do go for MMC, which one? There's the standard Rodimus colors, and then they have that black/teal deco that he wore in the later IDW books.

    Ultimately it comes down to taste, which is honestly why I buy 3P - just better selection of what you really want as opposed to whatever you're given.
     
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  3. Fortynickel

    Fortynickel Interim Head Warehouse Spelunker

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    I’m sure if Takara/Hasbro had given us viable alternatives, 3rd party wouldn’t exist.

    Hot Flame isn’t as refined as Calidus but he is much more accurate to the comics and much more expressive and dynamic. His transformation isn’t great and his alt mode looks unfinished to me but he is more true to this Rodimus:
    FFE8EEEE-91F3-40CA-8C59-47230A2C20C1.png

    Calidus is a well-made figure with a fun transformation and a cool car mode but is less dynamic and is more true to this model:

    15D5FE4F-C94B-41F2-B3FD-C6D3577F331B.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2019
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  4. WhiteMocha

    WhiteMocha Well-Known Member

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    I have both Lost Light Calidus and Lost Light Hot Flame. They have their pros and cons. I'd say from a pure toy-engineering perspective, Calidus is better. He's more solid, more satisfying, more polished as a toy. He has a better alt mode, and he's also a smidge bigger overall.

    That being said, Hot Flame, I feel, better captures the litheness of the comic design and has a bit more life and personality in his overall posture and face sculpt. But he is a jankier, looser toy that doesn't feel as solid as Calidus. At least with the LL version, the hands are improved (from what I understand... I don't have the original-colors Hot Flame but people seem to agree his hands are bad; LL Hot Flame improves on that).

    So I guess it depends on your priorities. If you care more about robot mode and looking like he's straight from the comics, and don't mind a slight lack of polish on a figure's engineering, I think the Hot Flame version might fulfill that. But if you want a beefier, more solid overall toy experience that feels better in hand, go with Calidus.

    Personally I like them both, for their own reasons, so I keep both on my shelves. This is all only my opinion, though, I'm sure others' will vary.
     
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  5. Death Dancaa

    Death Dancaa Rocknrollicon

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    See my current stand in is Reveal the Sheild Rodimus. I wanted a third party one though for the sake of not just having a more accurate look but also so I could have him in the purple and blue of Lost Light.
     
  6. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    Then yeah, you're going for the redeco of Caldius, as I don't think SXS ever released a purple/blue version. I think there's a few up for grabs on our BST thread so you don't have to pay retail boat for it.
     
  7. gibdozer

    gibdozer Censored

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    The only one I had was the shattered glass Black version of MMCs. Honestly it never really impressed me very much. It's well built like most of their figures and has a good transformation but it just feels bland(imo). Articulation is average though somehow poseability still ends up being sub par, and his accessories are poop. Definitely the most underwhelming MMC figure I ever purchased.
     
  8. Bob Schoonover

    Bob Schoonover Poorly-Known Member

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    @WhiteMocha said basically everything I came in here to say. I have both (in red and LL colors) and neither are entirely satisfying toys, but they both have their charms as display pieces and incarnations of Rodimus. I prefer the Hot Flame deco slightly, but either choice will probably suit you about the same.
     
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  9. Andrew James

    Andrew James Welcome to you're DOOM!

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    I went with Calidus as he is matched perfectly with MMC Tyrant.
     
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  10. theestampede

    theestampede Wandering Artist

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    I’d take the SXS all day. Transformation isn’t as good, but calidus has terrible proportions (seriously, why is his crotch so long?)
     
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  11. Scourgatron

    Scourgatron 4D Smart-ass

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    I agree, they are a ugly and look nothing like Transformers.
     
  12. gibdozer

    gibdozer Censored

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    images (1).jpeg
     
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  13. DashCourageous

    DashCourageous Greetings Programs!

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    I have SXS.

    Just to have...wait, has anyone released an IDW Galvatron?
     
  14. Fortynickel

    Fortynickel Interim Head Warehouse Spelunker

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    Come on, it’s self-explanatory, his name is Hot ROD and Rodimus.
     
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  15. Max Rawhide

    Max Rawhide Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' ... uh, never mind

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    I went with MMC Calidus.

    I agree with what others posted: the SXS version is a more accurate recreation of the comic look.

    But MMC makes good quality figures that are fun to transform and put in different poses. And MMC Calidus is no exception. He's fun to transform, incredibly easy to get in a nice pose and just an overal fun figure. (The limited ankle joint is the only downside, but at least I will never worry about it getting weak.)

    As an added bonus, MMC released two version of the Lost Light deco. A cover version that's more purple (this was a convention exclusive), and a more greyish actual comic book version with different armblasters (this was a regular release).


    For me, MMC all the way and I don't even like the MTMTE/LL look for Rodimus.
     
  16. worldsgreatest

    worldsgreatest Well-Known Member

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    SXS R-04B Hot Flame (Lost Light Ver.)
     
  17. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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  18. Megatron118

    Megatron118 Excelsior! Moderator

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    I have the original colored Hot Flame and he’s pretty good. I don’t mess with him too much, but he’s pretty solid for the most part. My only issue with him is that his shoulders are so tight and squeaky that I’m afraid they’ll break. But if I put some dish soap or shock oil in there, I’m sure that’d fix it. Just haven’t gotten around to it. The plastic quality isn’t the best I’ve ever handled, but it’s not bad. His hands do SUCK though, he can’t hold weapons for jack. So he’s just on my shelf standing casually with GCreation Prowl and Generations Brainstorm
     
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  19. deaculpa

    deaculpa Stand Alone Complex

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    I see you’re relatively new (newly registered anyway) to the boards, so welcome, specifically to the third party forum.
    But be warned: this path extracts a terrible price.

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. worldsgreatest

    worldsgreatest Well-Known Member

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    I mean, just in case anyone is interested.

    I've been on the fence myself. Calidus is perfectly fine, but pretty far off model.

    Hot Flame has a deafening shoulder screech.