Aquaman

Introduced in 1941, this Aquaman is the son of a lighthouse keeper who discovered an ancient Atlantean city and its secrets, enabling his son to breathe underwater and command sea life. He became a guardian of the ocean depths.

Few characters can claim a Golden Age pedigree as deep as Aquaman's — born in the pages of More Fun Comics #73 in 1941, conjured by the legendary team of Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily, he's been a cornerstone of DC's universe for an extraordinary 84 years and counting. His earliest adventures ran alongside the likes of Green Arrow in the anthology era's finest titles, and his appearances across Adventure Comics and All-Star Squadron trace a rich arc through comics history from the Golden Age to the modern day. With five key issues to his name, collectors have long recognized that his story is full of landmark moments worth hunting down. Whether you're a lifelong DC devotee or just discovering the depths of what the publisher's back catalog has to offer, Aquaman is one of those rare figures whose longevity alone tells you everything — this is a character the medium simply couldn't let go.