Adventure Gear was formed in 1997 to promote the GIJoe Adventure Team. I not only had the first Adventure Team page on the internet(from 1995) but was the first person with either the vision (or insanity) to produce adventure items instead of the glut of military stuff on the market. Originally Adventure Gear was an extension of my Adventure Team page and then it branched off a couple of times to the current format of today. The mission remains exactly the same. Promote the adventure side of GIJoe and offer a (very small)balance to the military accessories available. I have a lot less time than 5 years ago, but I still believe in the original vision, so even on a smaller scale the mission continues.

I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to work with Hasbro when they reintroduced The Adventures of GIJoe in 1999. Even though it is mostly uncredited, my stamp is all over every one of those sets, from the theme, to the contents, to the story on the back of the box. When the first GI Joe Adventure Team set in 25 years was issued by Hasbro in 2001, I was included in the story on the back as Pharoah Cal-Hountom. Thanks to the Hasbro gang and DDD for that surprise.

It is the ultimate honor for any GIJoe Adventure Team fan to be included in the hall of trophies along with White Tigers, Pygmy Gorillas, Giant Spiders and intelligent Cavemen from Outer Space.

Many people have contributed to the return of the adventure to GIJoe. They asked nothing in return other than the knowledge that they had contributed to putting one of Americas greatest toy brands back where it belongs, on the retail shelves. My sincere thanks to you all.

Keep the Adventure Alive,

Tom Calhoun
August 2004