G.I. Joe Adventure Team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Contents |
[edit] G.I. Joe: Adventure Team 1970-76
[edit] Introduction
From 1970-1977, the Hasbro toy company in the United States released numerous sets of 1:6 scale, 12" (30 cm) figures, vehicles, clothing, and gear sets which had an adventure theme. Evolving from the military theme that had inspired the original 60's G.I. Joe action figure and the intial "adventures of.." releases of 1969, these figures and sets were usually dressed for adventures in the jungles, deserts, mountains, and oceans. The adversaries were ecological, rather than human. A shift in sensibilities among parents in the US, notably caused by the Vietnam War, caused this shift from martial toys to more sensitive ones.
The "fuzzhead" flocking techniques developed by Habsro's UK licensee, Palitoy, allowed for a significant shift in identity for the action figure. Nearly every set dealt with exploring exotic locations or accomplishing dangerous environmentally sensitive missions. The Adventure Team era of GI Joe also featured such landmarks of action figure history as the Kung-Fu Grip; the flocked hair and bearded figures; the figures with movable Eagle-Eyes; and the transparent "bionic" limbs (Mike Power, Atomic Man). The Intruders were released as enemies for the adventure team to combat; the figures were of limited articulation, and as with "Bullet Man" and the "Defenders" simply served to degrade the quality of the GI Joe line.
The Adventure Team as introduced consisted of Adventure Team Commander (Talker), Land Adventurer, Sea Adventurer, Air Adventurer, Adventurer (African American), Man of Action, Talking Astronaut, and Talking Man of Action. All except the astronaut came with a shoulder holster & pistol.
[edit] Commander Voice
With the advent of the new line, the Adventure Team Commander had eight new voice commands, activated by a pull-string through the chest. The "Man of Action" (no beard) still used the commands from the old talking soldier; The new commands were: "I've got a tough assignment for you." "This is going to be rough. Can you handle it?" "We must get there before dark. Follow me" "The Adventure Team has the situation controlled" "Set up Team Headquarters here" "Contact Adventure Team Headquarters right away" "The Adventure Team is needed in Africa" "Mission accomplished. Good work men!"
Note: you may need a plugin for .ogg format in order to playback these files.
[edit] Body Types
Over the course of the adventurer production run, there were four main body variations best identified as; Hard Hand, Kung Fu grip, Muscle Body and Muscle Body Eagle Eye. All are "Fuzz-heads". There were Talker variations of each type. Early bodies had the trademark on the right buttock (as with the Canadian version shown below), and were assigned the patent # 3,277,602, awarded to Sam Speers (inventor) for Hasbro on Oct. 11, 1966. The later bodies were marked "Ⓒ 1975 Hasbro Pat Pend Pawt. R.I." or "Ⓒ 1975 Hasbro Ind Inc Pawtucket. R.I. 02861 Pat Pend Made In Hong Kong". This body style was redesigned by Alfred A. Crabtree, Brian S. Prodger and Hubert P. O'Connor, who applied for the patent in January of 1976; it was assigned patent # 3,988,855, "Posable figure having one piece connector for torso, trunk and legs" on Nov 2, 1976. If you wish to view either of the patent drawings, use the link provided under references; the patent can be viewed without charge. Kung Fu grip hands were made of a rubber prone to deterioration (being even thinner than the early Action Man variety), and often the hands are discolored, and the fingers will have broken off. These hands were a variation on the design by (Bill) William A.G. Pugh, of Hasbro's U.K. licensee, Palitoy, which was assigned a U.S. patent # 3,955,312 "Gripping Hand For Dolls" on May 11, 1976.
Muscle Bodies relied on a rubber for all body joints, instead of elastic, and it is rare at this point to find original bodies that have not fallen apart due to rubber deterioration, fortunately, these bodies can be "re-strung". Early body Adventurers seem somewhat less prone to the stress cracking common with earlier painted head bodies. The muscle body type was still in production into the early nineties in Brazil, under Hasbro licensee Estrella. The last change was the addition of "Eagle Eyes"; which followed later in 1976. Invented by George W. Ptaszek and James A. King, Hasbro applied for and received patent # 4,005,545, "Eye shifting mechanism for doll construction" dated Feb 1st 1977. The design utilized a mechanism operated by a simple slide at the back of the head moves the gaze of the eyeballs back and forth - an improvement on the fixed stare of the original albeit at the price of a slightly larger head, and the loss of the original facial features of the previous 10 years. The head was only available in brown and blonde hair and only blue eyes, with bearded versions of each.
 Hard Hands Land Adventurer |
 Patent 3,988,855 |
 Muscle Body Man of Action |
 Broken KFG |
 Restrung detail |
 Intruder Commander |
 Air adventurer |
 Sea adventurer |
 Eagle eye |
 Patent 3,475,042 |
[edit] Trademarks
Adventure Team bodies were trademarked in the same manner and location as pre-70 GI Joe; it was not until the introduction of the muscle body, that the trademarking was moved to the lower back, as with Hasbro's U.K. licensee, Palitoy.
 Canadian Land Adventurer |
 U.S. Land Adventurer |
 Muscle Body |
 Muscle Body, alt |
[edit] Outfit Examples
The Adventurer run had a wide range of outfits, and varying production qualities. Typically, early issues of clothing are of a heavier fabric, and have more detail. These are mostly the basic outfits typically supplied with a packaged figure.
 Muscle body High Voltage and Sea Adventurer |
 Hard hand Sea, Air and Commander Adventurer |
 Hard hand Adventurer |
 Kung Fu grip Commander and Man of Action |
 74 boxed example Land Adventurer |
[edit] Footlocker
As with earlier GI joe, the Adventure Team had a footlocker towards the end of the run. In 1975, an all plastic version was offered, with similar dimensions to the previous wooden versions. Plastic hinges, carry straps and clasp were utilized. The tray insert was the same yellow molded plastic as the 1960s version.
 |
 |
 |
[edit] Vehicles
A wide range of vehicles were produced for the Adventurer line; one of the most elaborate (and expensive) being the Mobile Support Vehicle. This vehicle in particular had the potential to provide a wide range of imaginative play value; it came with a range of accessories, and included a battery operated radar scanner and a searchlight (not shown). The cab could hold two AT members on a mission. The line included several small sets at a price point that more kids might afford with their own allowance; ones that converted into backpacks, such as "Escape car". There were also a number of helicopter variations, a variety of one-man six-wheeler "power hogs", a "Avenger Pursuit" multi-function vehicle, and a "Big Trapper" vehicle offered around the introduction of the "Intruder" figures. The military jeep was brought back, but was of the blow-mold construction typically associated with imitation products.
- MSV
 Mobile Support Vehicle |
 Mobile Support Vehicle evaluating a natural disaster |
- Backpacks
 Escape Car packed |
 Escape Car assembled |
 Drag Bike |
 Drag Bike packed |
 Life Line Catapult back |
 Life Line Catapult front |
 Back Pack literature |
 Specific Back Pack |
[edit] References
- DePriest, D. (1999) "The Collectable G.I. Joe"
- Michlig, J. (1998) "G.I. Joe; The Complete Story of America's Favorite Man of Action"
- Marshall, J. (1997) "GI Joe and Other Backyard Heroes"
- DeSimone, J (1994) "The New Official Identification Guide To GI Joe 1964-1978"
(ISBN9-780963-595614)
