Continuing with National Hobo Week is the Golden Age Superboy.

With a cover date of August, 1953, Superboy 27 romances the bindlestiff lifestyle. The third and final story of the issue, Clark Kent and adoptive parents have a verbal disagreement finalized with the youth running away from home in the appropriately titled Clark Kent, Runaway!

Also offered for your reading pleasure are The Pied Piper of Smallville and The Movie Star of Tomorrow.

The Pied Piper is a formulaic tale of a clarinetist who mesmerizes the youth of Smallville. Movie Star is a time travel tale whisking Superboy to the future to save Tinsletown.

Superboy did not appear until 1944, but Jerry Siegel pitched the idea of a super-powered prankster as early as 1938. Another attempt was made in 1940, but again fell on deaf ears.

Superboy debuted in More Fun Comics issue 101 in 1944. Joe Shuster was the artist, but Siegel was unable to provide scripting due to his stint in the Army during World War II.

Siegel filed suit against DC Comics and was awarded the initial decision. However, that was overturned and Siegel was forced to agree Superboy was the sole property of National (DC) Comics.

Not until 2006 did the District Court for the Central District of California issue a ruling that the Siegel heirs were rightful owners of the Superboy character and related indicia. Yet, Time Warner was granted continued ownership of the trademark meaning neither could benefit from the property solely.

National Hobo Week is celebrated the second week of August to coincide with the National Hobo Convention held the second weekend of the month in Britt, Iowa.

Hobos set up a camp, also known as a hobo jungle, for the convention and peddle their wares as well as offer entertainment.

The convention is the largest gathering of hobos in the national. A king and queen are even chosen.

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Welcome to National Hobo Week, Aug. 10-13.

While most of you – more than likely all – won’t be traveling to Britt, Iowa, for the National Hobo Convention, you can celebrate, commemorate, commiserate vicariously. Let’s start with the Man of Steel’s first foray into the vagrant life in Action Comics issue 337.

A nursery rhyme causes Superman to cosplay after performing various deeds. His first has him halting a crime while acting as a man of means. He follows the act by feigning poverty to petition the government for support of a slum project.

Next, he apprehends two thieves while dressed as an Indian chief. His fourth foray is as an attorney to stop a killer and, finally, as Clark Kent, fakes an operation as a doctor.

Prior to what will be his last act, Superman warns the FBI he plans to commit a robbery. The G-men procure some Kryptonite to thwart the attempt. Superman steals the Green K and explains the odd proceedings.

As a baby on Krypton, young Kal-El had been exposed to a comet while reciting the rhyme, “rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.” Somehow the comet caused a hypnotic effect causing Kal to act out the verse when exposed a second time.

Supergirl followed in her own story, The Green Sun Supergirl!

For those wishing to learn more about National Hobo Week, research famous hobos such as Leon Ray Livingston, T-Bone Slim or Alexander Supertramp.

More to follow as we take the week and recognize the heroes who have donned the patchwork suit, taken possessions in bindle and hiked across the United States.

Action Comics (1938) 337

National Lighthouse Day is celebrated annually Aug. 7 to spotlight the beacon that has meant salvation to mariners for hundreds of years.

Defining safety, a lighthouse marks treacherous shoreline, providing safe passage to harbors. In addition to maritime use, they are aerial guidance markers.

They’re style may vary depending on region and purpose. The top of the lighthouse is known as the lantern room. America’s first lighthouse was built in St. Augustine, FL, in the 1600s. Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey is the oldest existing lighthouse in America.

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While today’s host was birthed during the Golden Age of comic books in More Fun Comics issue 73, it was his Silver Age rebirth of sorts that cemented him as the son of a lighthouse keeper.

The Silver Age Aquaman debuted in Adventure Comics 260 in 1959. He is the son of human Tom Curry and Atlanna of Atlantis. He later became king of the undersea capitol.

A retcon had his father remarrying and siring a second son, Orm. The half-brother would become the Ocean Master and battle Aquaman for control of the seas.

Following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Aquaman was given a four-issue mini in 1986 and a one-shot in 1988.

Not until 1994 under the tutelage of Peter David did Aquaman receive his most popular ongoing series. It ran a total of 75 issues ending in January 2001.

He would guest in the reformed JLA title, but not appear in a self-titled comic book until Dec. 2002. This sixth series would last 59 issues. He would receive his own title under the New 52 and Rebirth imprints that followed.

In addition to boning up the history of DC’s King of the Seven Seas, National Lighthouse Day celebrants may also watch Give A Day in the Life of Lighthouse Keeper and/or Behind The Lighthouse: Lighthouse Keepers documentaries, share lighthouse experiences or visit lighthouse museums.

National Lighthouse Day was established Aug. 7, 1879, but Congress did not designate it officially for another 200 years.

Welcome to August and National Black Business Month.

Founded in 2004 by John William Templeton, historian, and Frederick E. Jordan, Sr., engineer, the month has been set aside to honor black business owners. They make up about 10 percent of America’s businesses and about 30 percent of all minority-owned businesses.

In total, that is equal to about 2 million companies. About half of those are in health care and social assistance, repair and maintenance and personal and laundry services.

Breaking that mold is the spokesman for the month, Luke Cage.

Luke Cage, Hero for Hire (1972) 1

Also known as Power Man, Cage was the first black superhero to host his own title.

Marvel took advantage of the blaxploitation films of the time by creating a new fictional character.

His back story included a tarnished angel origin. Cage was – literally – caged for a crime he did not commit. He volunteered for an experimental procedure that resulted in superhuman strength and unbreakable skin.

Cage’s solo book would run 49 issues. With issue 50, he would team with Iron Fist. Together they fought crime for another 100 issues.

A solo act again, Cage became a man on the run for a second time after being framed for the murder of Iron Fist. The mystery is set straight when it is learned the Iron Fist that was “killed” was a doppelganger.

Once cleared of all charges, Cage set out to start a new life in Chicago. This time he forgoes the superhero trappings and worked as a plainclothes private eye.

Later he returned to his Heroes for Hire business before being absorbed into the Avengers when they reformed. He also became a father after a tryst with Jessica Jones.

His newly formed family didn’t stop him from continuing his hero activities. Cage became leader of the Thunderbolts only to rejoin the Avengers which then went through several incarnations.

He went full circle, re-teaming with Iron Fist under the “All-New, All-Different Marvel.”

In addition to his work in the print medium, Cage cameoed on television. An animated version first appeared on The Super Hero Squad Show. Later he would guest in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

A younger version would become a regular on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon as part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team complimenting the Wall Crawler.

In 2015 Cage joined the cast of the Netflix series Jessica Jones. The guest spot earned him his own series the following year.

To celebrate Black Business Moth, consumers are encouraged to support local businesses owned by African Americans and use social media as an outlet to promote their endeavors.

While there is already a National Garfield Day, June 19, to celebrate the king of cats, there is another day we need to recognize him as the mascot of: National Lasagna Day.

The origins of the pasta’s day are murky, but it does exist. National Day Calendar has its own post. The site even offers ways to observe. The first being to bake a lasagna. The second, to visit a local Italian bistro for someone else’s recipe.

Oddly enough, the word lasagna originally referred to the pot in which the dish was prepared. As early as the 14^th-century, recipe books began to carry preparation methods for the pasta dish. Arguably the most famous spokesperson (?) for lasagna is Garfield.

Hence, our look at the comic book history of the fat cat.

Garfield went worldwide in 1978. Riding his coattails were – and still are – owner Jon Arbuckle and sidekick, dog Odie.

Though rarely mentioned, Garfield resides in Muncie, IN.

It only makes sense considering creator Jim Davis’ first published work appeared in the Pendleton Times of Pendleton, IN. National distribution began in 1977 when United Feature Syndicate accepted Davis’ proposal. Garfield was launched with a Sunday strip June 25, 1978.

Garfield went from strip to screen to comic book with Boom! Studios publishing the monthly Garfield comic book beginning in 2012. Mark Evanier, cartoon advisor for Garfield and Friends and The Garfield Show, handled scribing chores.

So, wash your paws, cuddle in with your favorite furry feline and chow on some lasagna with a colorful issue in hand.

July 29 has been set aside to raise the awareness of the dwindling number of tigers, the biggest cats on Earth.

Today is International Tiger Day.

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Over the past 100 years, the number of tigers has dwindled from over 1 million to fewer than 4,000 in their 13 indigenous countries. Those include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.

These nomadic felines tend to roam. Their turf can be as large as 386-square miles. They are the largest of the cat species and the third largest meat eater, only behind polar and brown bears. An adult tiger can consume up to 88 pounds of meat in one meal.

Representing the classy cat is a predecessor, Zabu the saber-toothed tiger.

Zabu first appeared in The X-Men issue 10 with his partner, Ka-Zar, born Kevin Reginald.

His parents discovered the Savage Land, where prehistoric creatures still roam and home to Zabu. It also became their final resting place.

Ka-Zar was subsequently raised by Zabu; Ka-Zar literally translates to “son of the tiger” in Savage Land speak. The tiger possesses near-human intelligence due to radioactive mists that caused a mutation.

Later, Zabu would become a member of Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers. The four-issue limited series was published from July to October 2009. It proved popular enough to go into a second printing. A sequel, Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers Unleashed hit comic book shops from May to August 2010.

A third series, Avengers vs. the Pet Avengers, began December 2010 and ran through March 2011.

Later they would guest in Power Pack, Thor and the Warriors Four and Guardians Team-Up issue five.

All have been collected in trade paperbacks.

The Pet Avengers are playable in Marvel Avengers Academy.

For more information on International Tiger Day, visit the Facebook page.

Yes, another holiday featuring Spidey or someone in the Spider Family.

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This time its Ben and May Parker, uncle and aunt to nephew Peter Parker. Together they’ll represent the non-holiday National Aunt and Uncle’s Day.

This perennial day of recognition falls on July 26 of each year. Its origins are unknown. It does serve to honor parent’s siblings who sometimes prove to be huge parts of other’s lives.

In the case of Peter Parker, they became his surrogate parents after his biological ones died.

Uncle Ben’s death became the catalyst launching a newly (super) empowered Peter into his life of heroism. Aunt May would continue to support and nurture her charge as he grew into adulthood.

Ben began his fictional life in Brooklyn, NY, as did May. Both attended the same school, but did not become romantically involved until later in their lives. When Ben’s brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Mary, were killed in a plane crash, he and May adopted their nephew.

Peter would repay the debt by allowing a burglar to escape while he sought fame. That same criminal would murder Ben. Peter donned his Spider-Man costume and set out to bring the murderer to justice.

It was then he learned the man he allowed run past him earlier was the same man who killed his Uncle Ben.

Aunt May became his sole custodian and continued to care for her nephew.

Since the first telling of Spider-Man’s origin in 1962, little has been changed. Even his rebirth under the Ultimate Spider-Man imprint and later movies would remain true to the original telling.

The only notable change was in What If…? (1977) issue 19. It postulated a story where Aunt May had been killed rather than Uncle Ben.

While most aunts and uncles don’t play as pivotal a role in our lives, they still should be recognized. Take time to drop a text, actually call or visit.

National Cousins Day has a mysterious past, but is still marked in red on the National Day Calendar each July 24.

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The day is designed to celebrate bonds formed between those sometimes closer than siblings. Or, to commemorate a kinship that can form when siblings are not there.

Such is the case with Kara Zor-El and Kal-El, better known as Supergirl and Superman.

Depending on which reboot you last read, Kal and Kara are the sole survivors of Krypton. Originally, she arrived on Earth in 1959. Kara was sent into the heavens in a rocket of her own following Kal’s departure. The explosion caused a malfunction in the guidance equipment and she meandered in space for a bit. When she arrived on Earth, she was already a teenager.

Supergirl later became a victim of Crisis on Infinite Earths. She would be re-introduced to the DCU in 2004 in issue eight of the Superman/Batman comic book. Jeph Loeb authored an ongoing series following her reintroduction a year later.

Supergirl appeared in a self-titled movie in 1984. Unlike her cousin, Kara was not well received at the box office.

She would be given a supporting role on the CW incarnation, Smallville, in season seven.

CBS launched the latest celluloid version in 2015. To date, it has been renewed for a sixth season.

Supergirl has appeared in several incarnations in the animated DCU as well. Her first was on Superman: The Animated Series where she was voiced by Nicholle Tom. Later, she would slide over to Justice League Unlimited. Her new origin would be retold in the direct-to-video feature-length Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

More recently, she has been a fixture on the pre-teen-oriented DC Super Hero Girls series.

So, set a little time aside and remember the sibling who wasn’t a sibling, but still there when you needed them.

An estimated one sixth of the Earth’s population in 1969, 600 million, watched as Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on a stellar body other than Earth.

That was 52 years ago today.

June 20 has been set aside to remember the effort put forth by a nation and generation to put a total of 12 men on the moon with National Moon Day.

Last year Moon Knight was Four Color Holiday’s master of ceremonies. This year we celebrate with John Jonah Jameson III.

Jameson is the son of Daily Bugle owner/publisher J. Jonah Jameson II. The younger Jameson is also a former astronaut. He appeared in Amazing Spider-Man issue one, but is better known for his lycanthropic Man-Wolf persona.

Prior to his full-moon fever, Jameson was infected with space spoors that gave him super-human strength. Those were contained and on a subsequent mission to the moon, he found a space gem he kept and had fashioned into a necklace.

Amazing Spider-Man (1963) 124

The gem was later reveled to be the Godstone, a ruby from another dimension.  It embedded itself to his throat causing Jameson to be transformed into a werewolf in the moonlight.

Spider-Man first battled the Man-Wolf in Amazing Spider-Man issues 124 and 125. Spidey was able to rip the pendent from Jameson’s throat saving everyone involved.

Morbius, the Living Vampire would later re-attach the pendant in an effort to find a cure for his blood disease. He did not and Spider-Man was forced to confront the monster duo and save Jameson a second time.

Man-Wolf would head up Creatures on the Loose from issues 30 to 37. He then returned to Amazing Spider-Man by the end of the decade for another two-issue story arc.

Jameson would bounce around the Marvel U after that. He would date She-Hulk, help Captain America prior to and during Civil War and return to space for the nation of Wakanda.

To observe National Moon Day, participants may recall where they were when Apollo 11 first made landfall. Break out the telescope and gaze at the moon for yourself. Discuss space travel.

President Richard Nixon was the first to proclaim June 20 as Moon Day in 1971. The observance stalled until Richard Christmas began a writing campaign. By 1975 he had 12 states making their own proclamations.

In 2019, President Donald Trump proclaimed July 20 as the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing. Again, the tradition has not be continued.

Hitting the lottery is the dream of millions – or, is that a dream for millions.

Today is a reminder of how much money we have lost, or “invested,” in our local lotteries; this is National Lottery Day.

The lotto has been around since at least the 15^th century. Like today, cash prizes were awarded to winning ticket holders. Monies collected would be used to fund the village, feed the poor and strengthen defenses.

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Later, the European lotteries would award a tax farm on wine transporters. At times, winning ticket holders would also be allowed quality control of the wine.

The United States continued the lottery fever when it formed. Ticket sales paid for cannons during the war for independence as well as paved roads.

In today’s spotlight is Wally West, DC Comics original lottery winner.

Following Uncle Barry Allen’s seeming demise during Crisis for Infinite Earths, West assumed the mantle. Carrying on the tradition of the Flash also meant a new book.

As readers began the new adventures, they learned West had won six and a half million dollars in the lottery. For a time, he had it all; the fame, money and women.

Fate, and writer Mike Baron, would soon rob West of his fortune and return him to the working world. Unlike his predecessor, the new Flash was not afraid to flaunt his Christian name and hawk his superpowered talents to the highest bidder to gain employment.

The series began as a fun read in the wake of DC’s original Crisis. The title, with other books receiving a reboot, brought a breath of fresh air into the comic book world. A much needed one before the bust of the next decade that nearly destroyed the industry.

National Lottery Day was founded by the Massachusetts State Lottery in 2018.

To celebrate, see if a local or state lottery offers a promotion recognizing the day.

Don’t play unless you have the means. If suffering from a gambling problem, please seek help, either through Gambler’s Anonymous or other organizations designed to help with this addiction.