But the real question is: 

Does DAD do all this for laughs and/or to piss off his son or is he genuinely well meaning? Because that changes a lot.

Is he just like ‘Here SON, take all this damned cakes because it is your BIRTHDAY and I am so PROUD of you, SON! Also all that harlequins stuff, you obviously LOVE it, right? How can someone NOT like it!’

And John does nothing to stop this, and just shrugs it off as his father being weird?? But DAD is trying? Am I making myself SAD?!? Over faceless parents in a webcomic?? I need to get a grip!?!