G.I. Joe The Shark's Surprise (7940) Deluxe Adventure Set (Hasbro, 1969)....

Description

G.I. Joe The Shark's Surprise (7940) Deluxe Adventure Set (Hasbro, 1969). Released in 1969, The Shark's Surprise was one of the most ambitious of the early G.I. Joe deluxe adventure sets, plunging America's movable fighting man into an underwater encounter with a deadly shark and a sunken treasure chest. The set included a Frogman figure with scuba gear, a blue Sea Sled, a shark, treasure chest, coins, spear gun, and a knife with scabbard, along with instructions and an illustrated comic book to frame the mission. Over the course of its production run, variations in accessory colors and materials were introduced, making complete sets both exciting and challenging for collectors.

This example comes with the Frogman figure, the later-issue scuba tank with orange hoses and soft plastic straps, and the solid brass-colored treasure chest. Missing from the set are the gold coins and the knife and scabbard that some kits included. The original instructions are present, as is the comic book, though one ripped page has been repaired with tape, and the overall condition of the comic is poor. The Frogman and shark each show some light staining, and the Frogman's limbs exhibit cracking at several joints, though articulation remains generally tight. The rubber scuba suit is hardening and beginning to crack, with pieces flaking away. The Sea Sled is present, but the tip of its tail end has broken off. The packaging is in heavily worn condition. The top box cover is in particularly poor shape, with most of the side panels barely attached to the front panel and some tape repairs visible on the inside. The exterior surfaces display extreme wear with significant scuffing, creasing, tearing, and veining, along with surface flaking in multiple areas.

Despite these flaws, The Shark's Surprise remains one of the most evocative sets in the G.I. Joe line, combining daring pulp adventure with some of the most striking accessories of the late 1960s. Even incomplete and well-loved, it offers collectors an opportunity to secure a foundational piece of G.I. Joe history, one that recalls the imaginative depths Hasbro explored when taking Joe beneath the waves. A set like this is a reminder that, even half a century later, the thrill of shark-infested waters and hidden treasure still captures the imagination.

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