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In December, 2006, Hot Topic, a store which specializes in pop-culture items, has done a fine reproduction of the Kung Fu Grip Land Adventurer. Here he is, standing next to his coffin box adorned with the KFG logo.

This reproduction is using the slightly grayish-skinned 40th Anniversary figure, rather than the more pinkish tones of the Timeless Classic Joes. The flocking is superior to the Meijer's Joes that were produced last year.

Front Face	Side

The flocking is quite good, and a little lighter brown than previous Land Adventurers have featured. A bit more chestnut or hazel.

The box comes with a plastic form insert in which Joe is wired firmly. Which makes no sense to me because I would think such wiring is designed to prevent the Joe from easily sliding out of his box and stolen. However, since the plastic form is in no way attached to the box, it is easily slid out of his box and stolen.

The gear has actually been the cause of some argument by collectors. In 1974 when Kung Fu Grip was introduced, the Land, Air and Sea Adventurer came not with pistols but with rifles. This version is still equipped with the earlier standard black shoulder-holster and pistol. Though the pistol is not the proper silver Lebling revolver with black hand-grips, but a black Luger.

The uniform is a pretty accurate camo reproduction. And it includes the lovely AT logo. The boots are the shorter black boots, which may be inaccurate, historically, as I'm pretty sure the Land Adventurer came with the taller black boots.

The dog-tag is the standard gray plastic AT dogtag.

The box is a nice reproduction box which shows the Land Adventurer with hands posed in a gripping form, and shows a rifle slung over his back. The interior of the box is green.

		Box top (shown upside down in relation to the box)
		Heh. This shows the price. $14.99.
The box has depictions of Adventure Team sets which would have been available at the time to purchase. A notice lets people know that these sets are not currently available and are shown for historical accuracy. More's the pity.

While some collectors have complained about the inaccuracy of the equipment (a shoulder-holster and luger rather than a rifle) I'm not that bothered with it.

First, I find that when GI Joe had the hard "nosepicker" hands, he couldn't hold his revolver properly. Then when they created Kung Fu Grip and suddenly he could grip his Lebling revolver, they gave him a rifle he couldn't hold properly either. Made no sense to me in 1974, and makes no sense now.

So I'm happy to have this version with a pistol he can hold.

As for the figure itself, the grayer skin is a bit bothering to me, but the flocking is nice, the figure stands well, and has nice, tight joints.

The promising thing is that these are selling out at Hot Topic stores, and the store seems to have intentions of making 2006 the year of Kung Fu Grip, so it's likely this will not be the last Joe Hot Topic will create this year. And the buzz is that the Club itself is planning some commemoration of the Adventure Team this year.

In assessing this set, I must weigh price in and at that price, the set, despite some historical departures, is well worth 10 out of 10.

Overall Rating