G.I. Joe Action Team Trouble at Vulture Pass Sears Exclusive Adventure Set (Hasbro, 1975).

Description

G.I. Joe Action Team Trouble at Vulture Pass Sears Exclusive Adventure Set (Hasbro, 1975). Released in 1975 as a Sears-exclusive offering, Trouble at Vulture Pass stands as a quintessential example of Hasbro's mid-1970s Action Team storytelling, where elaborate adventure scenarios replaced traditional military framing. Sears exclusives from this era are particularly notable for their inventive repackaging, and this set exemplifies that strategy by combining multiple previously issued components into a single, narrative-driven presentation. Drawing together the Solar Communicator, the Escape Car, and the vulture figure first seen in Fate of the Troubleshooter, the set expanded its appeal through additional accessories, including a map and case, black wire roll, compass, binoculars, and a royal blue jumpsuit akin to the one issued with Copter Rescue. The reuse of the vulture is especially emblematic of 1975, a year when Hasbro clearly leaned into the motif, also releasing Attack at Vulture Falls, giving this set a distinct place within the broader Action Team canon. The condition reflects overall significant wear to the packaging. The box exhibits pronounced edge and corner stress with areas of crushing and small tears, along with heavy surface wear to the box faces, including rub, veining, creasing, tape residue, staining, fading, faint writing, and areas of compression. The tray bubble shows only mild wear, with light surface rub, and remains intact. Although the box is open, the contents are still firmly sealed to their original insert tray beneath the bubble, with no indication of removal or use. For collectors, Trouble at Vulture Pass captures the imaginative peak of the Action Team era, when Hasbro emphasized modular storytelling and ambitious play scenarios over uniformity. Sears-exclusive sets add another layer of desirability, reflecting retail-specific creativity and limited distribution. Despite the exterior wear, the preserved contents anchor this lot in originality, offering a vivid snapshot of 1970s G.I. Joe ingenuity. It's a set that rewards familiarity with the line's deeper lore and showcases how Action Team adventure was built, figuratively, from every piece Hasbro had on hand.

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