Really the name says it all. Comic Sans is for comics. Not warning signs, not danger signs, not “beware of dog” signs, it's for comic books. Lets take a look into this font that most designers cringe at seeing.
See to the left? It’s Comic Sans. It’s great for those type of things like: action comics, children’s books, and of course funny stickers for your photos. It all started way back. Back when dinosaurs roamed the comic books--a famous designer by the name of Vincent Connare, who is popular also for his font Magpie. He created comic sans for--well, Microsoft. It was the year 1994. It was supplied with Windows 95, also in the Windows Plus Pack. Originally made for Microsoft Bob. As time went on it found it’s way to my Mac. You know--depending on how I use it--I kind of like it. It’s fun. It’s childish. It makes you laugh. It’s not to be used on warning signs.
Now to the right you see the glorious store closed sign. So really, it’s not so much that the font is bad, but used entirely out of its purpose. I know a lot of people hate this font--I did too until I realized how nice it looks when properly used. This closed sign would have been better off with Helvetica--you know? Why Comic Sans? But hey, you’ll learn in art quick that beauty is in the eye of the--beholder. Better solutions can be used though. Most people just grab the nicest looking font, rather than the most practical.
My heart goes out to the web designer who has strict instructions to use Comic Sans. Even after much agonizing, and pleading, there’s no way out of it.
I think it’s time we take a look at a few letters in the Comic Sans line up.
Letters d and b
Now to me, it appears hand drawn, or pen tool.
Beanie Babies© for years has been using Comic Sans.
Letters m and n
These letters don’t look related at all, even though m and n usually look similar. Now I do understand that the shoulders for m can be different heights, since it’s to resembele handwritting.
Well to some who already know, there was a revolt. The “Ban Comic Sans” movement. Two designers Dave and Holly Combs were told to use Comic Sans in a museum exhibit.
Well their site has caused a wide spread influence. People all over write letters to them, thankning them and asking for stickers on banning Comic Sans. Also,The Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) Proposed a ban bill based on the clause “Ban the font known as Comic Sans” in the 2005 session of Ontario Model Parliament in Canada.1 On their website it quotes a letter from the NDP. It read; “The NDP caucus proposed a motion to sever the bill, which would result in a separate vote on the Comic Sans ban (recognizing the importance of this issue). Unfortunately, unanimous consent was not obtained from the House, and the bill was voted on as a whole.”2 Amazing huh? Talk about serious.
But heres the thing. It’s being misused. It’s not for recipe books. It’s not for charts and details, infographics, legal documents, business promotional material, and above all things, e-mails. Vincent Connare say’s this on his site.
Comic Sans was NOT designed as a typeface but as a solution to a problem with the often overlooked part of a computer program’s interface, the typeface used to communicate the message [in a comic character’s message balloon].
So we see that Comic Sans MS was never intended for use as a typeface, but was apart of the UI. It would work well for Apples program called Comic Life. That’s it’s purpose in my opinion. If someone finds a better aesthetic way to implement Comic Sans, please comment how you have used it. Would love to see.
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MG99
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azzrizal
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amananderson
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amananderson
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amananderson