Comic Sans (Sans Style)
Ah what can you spit venomously about Comic Sans that hasn’t already been spat venomously by someone else? For those that don’t recognise the name take at look at this.
The font of fuckwits
That’ll have jogged your memory. If you’ve ever seen that used at work the person who used it is a simpering simpleton.
Released in 1994 by Microsoft and designed by – at the time – in house designer Vincent Connare. Comic Sans was designed as a simple font for use in Microsoft Bob, which in itself – rather appropriately – was a dumbing down of the Windows user interface.
Put simply, it’s the font of fucking idiots.
In the end Microsoft Bob never saw the light of day. Sadly however the font remained.
Comic Sans is a smooth, rounded, abortion of a thing and has gained such popularity because it is installed by default in every version of Windows from Windows 98 onwards – although it first came about as part of the Windows 95 Plus! Pack.
It has become ubiquitous. It’s everywhere! Its use in flyers, newsletters and other home produced bullshit it’s second only to the dreadful Algerian – which usually finds its way onto car boot sale posters – for ugliness. For those not in the know this is what it looks like.
Algerian, as seen on flyers and builder's vans
You remember it now right? Anyway, back to Comic Sans.
So, not only do we have to witness the witless producing reports in Comic Sans, it seems like every teacher in the country either delights in or is forced into using Comic Sans. Why? Do we really want a generation of children growing up thinking that Comic Sans is an acceptable font for use on their CV?
Typographically speaking it offers absolutely no benefits over any other font. It might be argued that it approaches the level of handwriting that teachers expect to see from seven year olds but if I’m honest even that’s a bit weak, I mean what’s happened to cursive script?
The whole point of font design is readability and/or impact. Comic Sans has neither.
The weak minded seem to think it’s a friendly font. Obviously though that’s because they’re weak minded and probably use smiley faces or hearts instead of a dot on their I’s.
In almost every case if you want to use a sans serif font that’s good, solid and easy to read – both on paper and on screen – Verdana would be infinitely better.
The chaps at Ban Comic Sans have got the right idea.
As a side note, poor old Vincent also designed Trebuchet MS which is a nice font, shame he has to be remembered for this pile of shit.
Have you never thought that this kind of script is something ill-educated morons aspire to as a means of writing in “joined-up” fashion – just like their parents – oh maybe not!
October 18th, 2009 at 13:49