Mego of the Day: Forbidden Zone Trap

[Bionic Joe]

Back in the day i really wanted this playset but i never got one As an adult i just have no space for playsets. Back in the day i could imagine all kinds of cool adventures for this set and not only for the apes

[JPkempo]

I still have one, it hasn't made it's way to ebay yet.

[cjefferys]

I still have to get all the larger POTA playsets and this one is the first on my list, I've always wanted one. And the fact that it's smaller and easier to display than the Tree House, Village and Fortress is a bonus.

[cjefferys]

I had to go up to $76 to get mine.

Is that the going rate for a nice, boxed one these days? I haven't been following selling prices on this piece recently, but $76 doesn't seem a bad price at all.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I was wonder if Judson was just a made up name, or perhaps a Mego in-joke for something.

Just for fun I Googled "Judson's Garage" and the only reference outside of the playset I could find was a business that got destroyed by a tornado in 1944. Couldn't even figure out where from.

[kryptosmaster]

The only problem with this one is it's big. you have to have some space for it.

As Brian said; it's not as big as you think because it's actually not a 'deep' playset. It only sticks out about 8 inches front to back.

Is that the going rate for a nice, boxed one these days? I haven't been following selling prices on this piece recently, but $76 doesn't seem a bad price at all.

Good gosh! If you find one that cheap jump on it! I wouldn't be surprised if the prices have depressed a bit lately but I bought mine about 4-5 months ago from Rob C and I paid about $150 or so. Missing instructions but complete with box. I've seen them go for way over $200 on ebay but haven't been ebaying much lately so don't know what the market is currently.
This was my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE ape playset when I was a kid and I had 'em all!
I was devastated when I had to get rid of my toys n 1979 and vowed one day to replace it. After I got my treehouse this was the very next one I went after and Rob just happened to put his up for sale at the same time.

Rich

[ScottA]

I actually knew a Judson at my first professional job after college. She was a knockout but a real sweet person.

Yea, it's not so much the depth as the width. Hopefully I can put mine together someday. Glad I bought it when I did.

[Meule]

Whether you're an ape fan or not, you gotta admit Mego made the coolest playsets

[kryptosmaster]

Whether you're an ape fan or not, you gotta admit Mego made the coolest playsets

Yes they were and still are cool but in retrospect I do have one complaint.
I wish they would've made the Fortress and Zone Trap (and some other items as well) out of something other than cardboard. They would've been much sturdier and a lot more examples would've survived intact.
For example: they could've made the fortress parts either blow-molded (which would've given it a bulky Ape City feel) or stryrene. Not a huge fan of the cardboard-in-vinyl (Village/Batcave/Enterprise) either but at least that's better than plain cardboard.
As a kid none of that mattered of course, but as an adult I would prefer the better materials.
Rich

[HardyGirl]

I'm inclined to agree about the cardboard. Although I do think there's a certain 70s charm about the vinyl incased cardboard. I think the ape sets and the back of the Trek Gamma 6 set should have been made just a little sturdier by adding the vinyl.

[kryptosmaster]

I'm inclined to agree about the cardboard. Although I do think there's a certain 70s charm about the vinyl incased cardboard. I think the ape sets and the back of the Trek Gamma 6 set should have been made just a little sturdier by adding the vinyl.

Oh yeah, the vinyl over cardboard screams 70's and that's probably why the Dida displays are made in the same fashion. That would've been a preferred step-up over the plain cardboard playsets. If I only had the time and patience I would build my own playsets from scratch. I'd love to make some sort of Ape City or something.
Rich

[Wee67]

Is that the going rate for a nice, boxed one these days? I haven't been following selling prices on this piece recently, but $76 doesn't seem a bad price at all.

No, I was kidding about have to "all the way up" to $76. If you can get that price, then grab it.

I do think there's a certain 70s charm about the vinyl incased cardboard.

You can always get a few Dida playsets and customize the panels

[Robin NY]

I had one of these way back in the late 70's for years, I friggin luv this thing and if I could get a MIB I would pony up the cash if within reason, this thing lasted for years and all my megos had adventures there, funny thing is I don't remember waht happened to it. My mom was awesome and never tossed my toys so to this day it remains a mystery.

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

I have to admit, my apes treehouse is one of my favourite things.

[goldenryan]

sweet display