Let me go on record here as saying that I despise Comic Sans. Most non-designers know of this font and love it, whereas most GOOD designers know of it and hate it. Vincent Connare designed this font for Microsoft in 1995 and it was for one purpose only. He had been given a beta version of Microsoft Bob, a comic software package designed primarily for young users. The package featured a dog called Rover (very original and creative name), with message balloons set in Times New Roman. Connare thought Times New Roman was unsuited to the comic context and felt it needed something more suited to comics. He never intended the font to be used with anything other than a dog named Rover and children (who don't know any better).
When he designed Comic Sans, there was no expectation of including the font in applications other than those intended for children. But Comic Sans could not be made ready in time for the release of Microsoft Bob, so in August 1995, the font was released in the Windows 95 Plus Pack. Later, it was included as one of the system fonts for the OEM versions of Windows 95. It was also used for a comic movie programme called '3D Movie Maker.' For some really strange and evil reason it currently ships with both Windows and Mac OS. My conclusion is Connare must have been sleeping with somebody at the top. Why else would it become so popular?
Regular people who do not know better and are not typographers or graphic designers choose this font because they claim to like it. Would somebody please explain it better to me. I just don't get it? Evidently, the main designer at Twitter tweeted that the most server space is used by complaints about:
- Airlines
- Comic Sans
- Justin Bieber
So not even The Bieber can beat comic sans! What in &£!#! is the world coming to?
I am a retired adjunct professor from the University of Southern Indiana, located in Evansville.
My favourite subjects to teach are obviously ‘Typography’ as well as ‘Graphic Design History’, 'Senior Seminar' and ‘Computer Illustration.’