This Sunday is a time for dads — it’s Father’s Day on June 21, 2026, which falls on the third Sunday of June each year in dozens of countries worldwide. It’s not a statutory holiday, but many people mark the day by thanking fathers for all they do. It’s also a day that has long inspired cartoons and comics celebrating the occasion. Here’s a look at some of the Father’s Day funnies that have been published in the Calgary Herald over the years.
By Greg Perry; 2024 Father’s Day editorial cartoon.
Father’s Day 2025; by Patrick LaMontagne.
In 2021 and 2022, regular contributor and editorial cartoonist Patrick LaMontagne had these offerings published on the Herald’s Opinion pages.
Calgary Herald; June 18, 2022; by Patrick LaMontagne.
Calgary Herald; June 19, 2021; by Patrick LaMontagne.
It’s not only editorial cartoonists who find the humour in Father’s Day. The creators of daily comic strips have long used the day to inspire storylines. Here are some samples from years past. The following two Adam and Foxtrot cartoons were published in 1995.
Calgary Herald; June 17, 1995.
Calgary Herald; June 17, 1995.
One of Canada’s most successful cartoonists is Lynn Johnston, whose For Better or For Worse originally ran from 1979 to 2008. It’s now in its 18th year of reruns. Here’s Johnston’s Father’s Day offering from 1990 and another from 1987.
Calgary Herald; June 16, 1990.
Calgary Herald; June 20, 1987.
With a strong family focus, it’s no surprise that the comic strip Adam visited the Father’s Day theme each year. Started in 1984, the strip was originally drawn by Brian Basset until another artist, Rob Harrell, took over.
Calgary Herald; June 15, 1985.
Another Father’s Day-focused comic in the Herald in 1985 was Marvin, a daily comic strip that started in 1982.
Calgary Herald; June 15, 1985.
A lovable Great Dane named Marmaduke took centre stage in a comic drawn by Brad Anderson from 1954 until his death at age 91 in 2015. In the final panel of his weekend strip, Anderson would feature a dog anecdote sent to him by fans.
Calgary Herald; June 14, 1980.
Not all Father’s Day sentiments on the comic pages were sweet and sappy, as these B.C. strips from 1975 and 1980 demonstrate.
Calgary Herald; June 14, 1980.
Calgary Herald; June 14, 1975.
The comic strip Tiger focused on a group of school-aged kids; its lifespan went from 1965 to 2004.
Calgary Herald; June 19, 1971.
One of the most popular family-themed comics of its time was The Family Circus, published in 1,500 newspapers at its height. Cartoonist Bill Keane started the strip in 1960, and since his death in 2011, his son Jeff Keane has taken over. The subject of a son taking over his father’s comic strip was one Bill often used on Father’s Day, as this 1971 example from the Calgary Herald shows.
Calgary Herald; June 19, 1971.
Dennis the Menace is a comic strip character that has been around since 1951! The strip spawned a 1959 TV series, a 1986 animated TV series, a 1993 animated TV series, a 1993 movie and video game, and a 1998 direct-to-video sequel.
Calgary Herald; June 19, 1971.
Going back even further, here’s a Father’s Day Wizard of Id cartoon from 1969.
Calgary Herald; June 14, 1969.
Another cartoon from Father’s Day in 1969, Hi and Lois, had already been around for 15 years when this comic was published. The strip was started in 1954 by Mort Walker and Dik Browne; both have children who now work on the strip.
Calgary Herald; June 14, 1969.
Taking a peek into archive comics from the 1950s in the Calgary Herald shows Father’s Day was an occasional topic for comic strips, such as this instalment from Penny, a comic that started in 1943 and lasted for almost three decades.
Calgary Herald; June 14, 1952.
We even found one Father’s Day cartoon dating back to the 1940s in our archives:
Calgary Herald; June 20, 1942.
