Three years after Dungeons & Dragons' first release, Donald Saxman self publishes Superhero 2044, the very first superhero role playing game, with a black and white cover and ring bound pages. In the same year Lou Zocchi's Gamescience publishes it again with a full colour covers and professional printing (we are discussing the Gamesceince release).
Superhero 2044 is set in the isle of Inguria, an area that has somewhat survived a nuclear holocaust (sic) destroying the Unoted States and the world but giving some people superhuman powers. Anyway the designer states that gamers can use the rules for any kind of play or campaign and that the isle of Inguria is just an example of what today we would call a campaign setting.
Characters are created via a point system (very very innovative in the '70s!) and it has seven characteristics (vigor, stamina, charisma, endurance, mentality, ego and dexterity). Rules are quite complex but clearly explained, considering the time of Superhero 2044 release and the fact it was introducing a new genre. Very interesting the concept of 'superhero shop' managed by the last member of a superhero group which apparently has not a clue about what he (it?) is selling... Heroes must complete a planning form listing all the activities they will be involved in when not adventuring too!
Superhero 2044 graphics are quite crude, as usual in the age, and the artwork is of average quality. It seems that the game was not a roaring success and it was quickly overshadowed by better RPGs such as Villains & Vigilantes (1979) and Champions (1981).
Judges Guild published in 1980 an official supplement for Superhero 2044 called Hazard with a campaign map of the island and of continental areas aroud it (inckluding a new subcontinent!) and political and 'historical' information. It was the only expansion published for Superhero 2044, albeit Different Worlds magazine published new rules in issue 6 and an adventure in issue 23.
But Superhero 2044 was not forgotten: there was a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter ibn 2019 to release a new edition of the game. As sometimes happens, the project did not go well (the funding threshold was lowered from $ 100,000 to just $ 100) and there were a lot of discussions. Donald Saxman did not live to see this because he passed away in April 2018.
