More Fun Comics (1935) 73

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.

More Fun Comics (1935) 73

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.