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For more than six decades, young readers of Highlights for Children have received moral guidance from Goofus and Gallant, two characters of unspecified age and relationship who represent starkly different behaviors. Gallant consistently displays impeccable manners, while Goofus is often selfish, inconsiderate, and has even been depicted harming small creatures. (True story: He’s thrown stones at birds and once treated a frog with shocking brutality.)
The iconic two-panel comic has become so widely recognized that opposing viewpoints are frequently labeled as “Goofus and Gallant” archetypes. If you’ve ever questioned whether Gallant is more than just a model child or if Goofus is teetering on the edge of delinquency, explore our collection of fascinating facts about their legendary past.
1. THEY WERE ONCE ELVES.
Garry Cleveland Myers, a renowned child psychologist and widely-read parenting advice columnist, created Goofus and Gallant. Originally introduced as The G-Twins in the 1938 issue of Children’s Activities magazine, the duo showcased their contrasting personalities from the start. Myers initially portrayed them as whimsical beings with pointed ears and curled shoes. The reason behind this fairy-tale design remains unclear, though some speculate it was to emphasize bad actions rather than labeling children as inherently bad.
When Myers and his wife Caroline launched Highlights in 1946 for children aged six to twelve, they later secured the rights to the comic. Goofus and Gallant appeared in their magazine in 1948 and, by 1952, had transformed into ordinary boys, shedding their elf-like features, including the pointed ears.
2. THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY REAL CHILDREN.
Highlights became a family-run business, with Myers’s descendants contributing to its production. In 1995, Kent Brown Jr., Myers’s grandson, informed the Los Angeles Times that he was the basis for Goofus, while his cousin, Garry Myers III, served as the inspiration for Gallant. Myers III refuted this claim, stating, “Kent takes great pleasure in declaring himself Goofus.” Brown later clarified that all 13 of Myers’s grandchildren influenced the characters’ development.
3. A SINGLE ARTIST WORKED ON THE COMIC FOR OVER THREE DECADES.
After Myers obtained the rights to the characters for Highlights, he hired illustrator Marion Hull Hammel to illustrate their escapades, transitioning them from elf-like figures to human boys in the 1950s and later. Hammel dedicated 32 years to the strip, and Sidney Quinn assumed the role after her retirement, continuing until 1995. The current artist, Leslie Harrington, has been contributing to the comic since 2006.
4. GALLANT RECEIVES NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
Although the central message of Goofus and Gallant is to follow the Golden Rule, not all young readers appreciate Gallant’s flawless behavior. "I received a letter from a lawyer who grew up reading the comic," Rich Wallace, the magazine’s former coordinating editor, shared with the Los Angeles Times in 1995. "He wanted to express his opinion: 'Gallant was a wimp.'" Other readers have echoed this sentiment, noting that they relate more to Goofus.
5. GOOFUS IS NOT A SOCIOPATH.
Without an official diagnosis for Goofus’s troubling actions—such as playing with fire, mistreating others, and damaging school property—we rely on Highlights’ editorial stance. In a 1993 interview with the Chicago Tribune, magazine spokesperson Tom White clarified that Goofus is a “grumpy, defiant, and rude child” but emphasized that "he is not a sociopath.” That’s reassuring!
6. THEY’VE APPEARED IN NEARLY A BILLION PUBLICATIONS.
Excluding the two-year gap from 1946 to 1948, Goofus and Gallant’s escapades have consistently graced every issue of Highlights. In 2006, the magazine marked its 60th anniversary by distributing its one billionth copy. Starting with 20,000 copies of its debut issue, the publication grew to an average monthly readership of 2.6 million in the 1990s.
7. AN EDITOR’S THEORY WILL LEAVE YOU STUNNED.
In the 1950s, when Goofus and Gallant first began their moral lessons, they were portrayed as identical twins. Over time, Highlights editors clarified that they were brothers, not twins, and by 1995, they were simply two unrelated boys. However, former coordinating editor Rich Wallace suggested a Fight Club-esque twist: “I’ve theorized they’re two sides of the same child,” he revealed.
Intrigued by this idea, we reached out to Highlights editor Judy Burke for her take. "The boys are shown with different parents and have slight physical differences," she explained. Recently, the duo has even acknowledged each other’s presence. "In April 2016, they broke through their panels to prank each other for April Fools’ Day, something they couldn’t have done if they were the same person."
This doesn’t prevent readers from experiencing their own existential dilemmas. "Every time we feature Goofus and Gallant, we include the phrase, 'There’s a bit of Goofus and Gallant in everyone,'" Burke explains. "When Gallant’s qualities emerge, we present our finest selves. We also share 'Goofus and Gallant Moments' from children, where they describe instances when they felt like one or the other. These elements reinforce the idea that both characters exist within each person, and it’s up to the individual to decide how to act."
All images provided by Highlights for Children and used with permission.
