The Misunderstood Rebel of Typography

In the world of fonts, there exists one that stands out like a flugelhorn at a funeral..

Yep. The leviathan that is…

Comic Sans. :-(

Loved by few, reviled by many, Comic Sans has become the poster child for typographical controversy. But let’s not judge this font on its “unique” appearance alone; let’s have a look into the world of Comic Sans and uncover its back story.

Don’t worry, it won’t take long.

Comic Sans burst onto the scene in 1994, designed by Vincent Connare, not as a font for serious documents or corporate reports, but as a playful typeface for Microsoft Bob, the annoying tw@t in the corner of your 30 year old laptop. Little did Connare know that when he gave life to his prometheus, it would spark a mass debate in the world of graphic design and become a household name across the planet.

Bizarrely, Comic Sans has achieved a ridiculously high level of cultural ubiquity that few other fonts can claim. We use it for parodies and there’s an actual movement to ban it altogether. Here’s the website if you fancy a nosey.

Critics of Comic Sans often argue that its bubbly, childlike appearance is inappropriate for any application ever. Advocates, well, errr….post your views in the comments section.

Seriously, imagine a legal document written in a font reminiscent of a heavily sedated child’s handwriting? I don’t think that would do at all. But let’s not be too quick to dismiss this rebel just yet. After all, it wasn’t designed for such serious shit anyway. If we do, it’s a bit like punching a clown for not being serious.

Comic Sans has definitely found a niche in the realm of informal communication. Think party invitations, online birthday cards or them passive-aggressive emails from Karen in HR.?

Its whimsical charm must lighten someone’s mood somewhere and inject a bit of fun into their otherwise mundane existences, surely?

To be fair, it’s pretty malleable and highly readable, making it accessible to audiences of all ages and literacy levels, so, before we scrape the typographic equivalent of a turd into the desktop bin forever, let’s remember its ability to communicate with a wider audience. Even the British Dyslexia Association suggests that dyslexics find it easier to read, which is definitely cool.

So there we are, let’s raise a glass of tap water to Comic Sans, the misunderstood rebel of typography. Love it or hate it, you can’t deny its impact on popular culture. And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll all look back and appreciate its quirky charm – I sort of doubt it. Okay, maybe MS-DOSSERS? might.

Who knows. Let us know if you love Comic Sans and why.

I’ve genuinely tried to use it, but it just makes me wince and want to shoot my screen. There will be some gem in there somewhere as there always is, but until a project comes our way that warrants the effort, I’m done with polishing turds.

Much love,

Team Greenwich. ??????????

#creativeteam #peoplepower #comicsans #innovation