by Matthew Russell - Posted 4 months ago
Welcome, my CryptoComics Compatriots! Today, we dive headfirst into a topic that has sparked endless debates and ignited the fiery passions of designers everywhere: Comic Sans. I know what you’re thinking—why are we giving this much attention to a font?
Trust me, the saga of Comic Sans is as riveting as any comic book plot twist. This blog isn’t just to fuel your natural and well-deserved disdain or make you laugh at the font’s notorious reputation.
It's a deep dive into the history, the horror, and the hilarity of this font that has somehow managed to offend and amuse us all in equal measure.
Let's uncover why Comic Sans has become the ultimate typographical punching bag and why it's essential for us, as creators and lovers of visual storytelling, to understand its infamous journey. Don’t worry, I give you all some great alternatives that have been commonly used in the comic community.
Once upon a time, in the far-off land of 1994, Vincent Connare crafted Comic Sans for Microsoft. Yes, it was meant for the quirky and ultimately irrelevant Microsoft Bob, (OMG, I hated Bob!) but it was too late to make the cut. The font was inspired by the comic books Connare had lying around—“Watchmen” and “The Dark Knight Returns.”
Oh, the irony. Connare himself admitted he never meant for this font to escape into the wild, only to reside in comic-book-style speech bubbles. Yet, here we are, with Comic Sans unleashed upon the unsuspecting public.
Comic Sans found its first home in Microsoft 3D Movie Maker. It then wormed its way into the Windows 95 Plus! Pack, and before anyone knew it, Comic Sans was a standard font for Windows 95. It even infiltrated Microsoft Publisher and Internet Explorer.
This font was like a pandemic (We all know about those), spreading far and wide.
Beanie Babies, plush collectibles from the 90s, featured Comic Sans on their tags. The 2004 Canada Day 25-cent coin? Yep, Comic Sans again. Even The Sims couldn’t escape, using it in their game. And who could forget the early web days?
Comic Sans was a go-to on Angelfire and Geocities, adding a “creative” flair to personal pages. Because nothing screams creativity like a font that looks like it belongs in a child’s coloring book.
Comic Sans didn’t just offend our aesthetic sensibilities—it defied them. It showed up everywhere it didn’t belong, like a drunk uncle at a wedding. Serious documents, formal announcements, and even gravestones.
The font’s casual, childish vibe was at odds with the grave (pun intended) nature of the content it often accompanied. Comic Sans was designed for comic books and children’s designs, not for your boss’s memo about the upcoming quarterly review.
For some, the omnipresence of Comic Sans is enough to warrant its hate. For others, it’s the font’s technical flaws. The inconsistent kerning and weighting create a jumbled, chaotic mess of text. Todd Klein’s analysis, “Comic Sans Font Examined,” dives deeper into why Comic Sans is a poor choice even for comic books. Spoiler: it’s just not good.
If you’re looking for a font that captures the playful essence of Comic Sans without the attached stigma, consider these alternatives:
In conclusion, Comic Sans is the font equivalent of a bad joke—overused and not funny. So next time you think about using it, just don’t. Please. For all our sakes.
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