I do not own this.

GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK!!!

In 1970, Hasbro continued with the adventure theme, but now GI jOE was given flocked hair and beard and expanded GI jOE into an Adventure Team. The Action Marine became the Land Adventurer (brown flocked hair and beard); the Action Sailor became the Sea Adventurer (red flocked hair and beard); the Action Pilot became the Air Adventurer (blonde flocked hair and beard), the African American Action Soldier became the Adventurer (a new facial sculpt with black flocked hair and no beard); and the Caucasian Action Soldier became the Man of Action (brown flocked hair and no beard); the Astronaut became a Talking Astronaut (blonde flocked hair and no beard); and the Green Beret became the Caucasian (brown flocked hair and beard) and the African-American (black flocked hair and beard) Talking Adventure Team Commander. 

The Adventure Team was given a stylized AT logo. One Hasbro executive remarked that the symbol resembled an upside down peace sign, to which the Hasbro President responded, "Good !!!". No doubt in relief after the negative public response from the   release of the GI jOE MARINE JUNGLE FIGHTER during the Vietnam War period. 

The Secret Mission to Spy Island window box set was one of the first released for the new Adventure Team line. This set helped sell the new concept of G.I. jOE not as a military character, but as an someone who wasn't afraid of dangerous situations and an adventure  seeker.  

Like the original military GI jOE sets, each accessory set was initially marked as specific to an Adventure Team character. Although this set is marked as  specifically designed for the Land Adventurer, of course it could be used with any of the 11-1/2" Adventure Team  GI jOEs that you wanted to make into a secret agent.

 My favourite Adventure Team GI jOE set was, and still is, this "Secret Mission to Spy Island". Any kid who was a James Bond fan, (and who wasn't/isn't), wanted their GI jOE to go on secret missions. 

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THE ADVENTURES OF 

GI jOE 

LAND ADVENTURER - 

SECRET MISSION TO SPY ISLAND (code no. 7411)

  The basic gear was the same as the 1969 Adventures of GI jOE set with some differences.

   This set contains: 

  - life raft  (black inflatable) and  oar (black);

 - binoculars (red with black elastic);

 - signal light (black with yellow paper sticker for the lens);

 - flare gun (grey with unpainted grip) ; 

 - detonator ( grey with no strap) (later versions of this set did not include the detonator);

 -  TNT   (3 orange dynamite sticks) (later versions of this set did not include the TNT);

 -  boots (black short);

 - camera (black with yellow paper sticker for the camera lens);

 - pants (black);

 -  sweater (black with AT logo sticker);

 -  black cap  (rubber version of knit stocking cap);

 -  radio and ear phones (jade green wireless radio stamped Hasbro R Hong Kong with code sender key pad and headphones;

 -  .45 sub-machine gun (gold and grey stamped Hasbro R with black elastic strap); 

 - wire roll  (black stamped Hasbro R with grey wire);

 -  Adventure Packed Comic Book  (Read the comic here ).

 DIFFERENCES  from the 1969 Secret Mission to Spy Island set are: 

 - Switching the marine camouflage fatigue shirt and pants for a black sweater (with AT logo sticker) and black pants; 

 - Switching the green wire roll with copper wire to a black wire roll with silver wire.

 -  Most of the 1970's large playsets included an Adventure Team  comic book with title The G.I. jOE Adventure Team, depicting a bearded G.I.jOE engaged in an adventure that utilized the accessories that came in the playset.  Sadly the Adventure Team comic for this 1970 Secret Mission to Spy Island  was the exact same comic from the 1969 set. There is no Adventure Team bearded G.I. jOE wearing the new all black outfit. 

Also since later releases of this set  did not include the detonator and TNT sticks, so why would Hasbro decide to include the wire roll ? 

 * * *

THE MISSION: 

Top Secret documents have been stolen from the Pentagon. It was determined that the documents have been taken to a hidden computer installation on Spy Island. G.I. jOE is assigned to get those documents back. From a destroyer G.I. jOE then paddles to Spy Island. 

Dispatching a sentry and taking his uniform as a disguise, G.I. jOE infiltrates the complex. He passes by a giant guarded vault and a missile silo and decides that it is impossible to retrieve the documents. G.I. jOE sets explosive charges to destroy the documents and the installation and makes his escape. Once safely aboard the destroyer, he witnesses a tremendous explosion that sinks Spy Island into the ocean. 

This is my original  ADVENTURE TEAM G.I. jOE Secret Agent, a 1970, 'Made In Canada',  GI jOE Land Adventurer.

 * * *

Peter Pan  released  a combination read along book and 45 rpm record titled, "The Secret Mission to Spy Island". 

The art work was done by Carl Pfeuefer.

In a somewhat violent story (for Peter Pan's audience), a U.S. military general's car is run off the road and the secret missile plans stolen. GI jOE pursues the plans to a volcanic island, infiltrating it thanks to his one-man auto-copter. Disguising himself as one of the enemy soldiers, Joe attempts to steal the plans back. But there are simply too many soldiers around to make that possible, so he decides to follow Plan B and sets a time-bomb. Before he can escape, he is captured and lined up to be shot by a firing squad. GI jOE manages to stall his execution long enough for the bomb to go off, not only destroying the base and all of the enemy soldiers, but setting off the extinct volcano too. G.I. jOE barely escapes with his own life and is rescued at sea. 

Click here to hear and read the Peter Pan book on You Tube: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_J0LnVwCGo 

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 I saw this custom Secret Mission to Spy Island custom 'coffin' box for sale on ebay only once and have never seen it offered again. 

Custom box for Secret Mission to Spy Island  by ebay seller: sgt.vans_fantasy_boxes

 Very cool artwork by Larry Selman used in 2010 for Escape from Spy Island.   This one features a bearded G.I. jOE, but the convention artwork on the box set featured a non-bearded  G.I. jOE.