The O Jogo Dos Herois paper board game (which translates to ‘The Game of Heroes’) was produced by RGE in Brazil in July, 1980. The game was folded and placed inside select comic book (not stapled to the comic book). It was common for the game to be missing from the comic book when sold by the newspaper stand.
RGE (Rio Gráfica E Editora) was located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil a Subsidiary of ‘Grupo Globo’ founded by Roberto Marinho in 1952, which ceased operations in 1986. For over 35 years, RGE published a multitude of comic books, magazines and collectible pop culture related collectibles.
This clever marketing campaign was created to broaden readership of RGE published superhero comic book titles. RGE created a game that co-mingled both Marvel and King Features Syndicate characters, which at the time, were part of the licensing cast belonging to RGE. This free 10.25” x 7.75” paper board game was inserted into select 1980 Almanaque comic books. These comic books are:
- Fantasma/Phantom #8 – 98 pages – Inside front cover advertisement.
- Homen Aranha/Spiderman #2 – 130 pages – Containing 12 pages of games, activities and quizzes.
- Mandrake #4 – 98 pages.
- Hulk #2 – 98 pages.
- Marvel/Nova #8 – 98 pages – Inside back cover advertised the RGE plastic ‘Green Skull Ring’ which came free with Superalmanaque Fantasma #1.
- Fantasma #296 – Published in July 1980 had a centerfold 2 page advertisement illustrating the board game and corresponding comics.
Board Game Translations
Game Board Front Cover:
HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FRIENDS COMBATING THE SUPERVILION
Game Board Back Cover/Instructions:
THE GAME OF HEROES
1. Five players participate. Each player chooses his character hero and places it on the corresponding place on the board.
2. The Hero who first reaches the supervillains hideout, in control of the card, wins the game, defeating the enemy.
3. Each player, in turn, rolls the dice. The hero who appears face up walks no matter who has made the move.
4. Whenever the face of the supervillain appears on the die, the hero of the player who made the move returns to the starting point MATCH.
Game Board Internal/Directions:
CUT THE DATA AND PARTS WITH THE FACE OF THE SUPERHERO AS INDICATED. Fold the dice and glue the side flaps.
Thank you Christopher Smith for assisting with images and information.
The Phantom 