Face It: Font Inspires a Certain Type of Backlash

By M. Morris, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 19, 2009 3:36 AM CDT

(Newser) – Comic Sans is a lighthearted font, easy to read and very popular. Too popular, if you believe its legions of detractors. Like many other comics-related entities, it even has a sworn enemy—the 10-year-old Ban Comic Sans movement, which compares misuse of the typeface "to showing up for a black-tie event in a clown costume," reports the Wall Street Journal.

The font's formal name is MS Comic Sans, a nod to the fact that designer Vincent Connare was working at Microsoft—which owns Comic Sans—when he created the monster. "If you love it, you don't know much about typography," he says, adding, "If you hate it, you really don't know much about typography, either, and you should get another hobby."

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

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The Comic Sans paparazzi found the typeface at a hotel. (©Seth W.)

The user-generated caption on this Flickr photo showing wine pairings presented in Comic Sans reads simply "Why?" (©gesika22)

A lighthearted typeface for a serious subject. (©JOE M500)

The WORST use of Comic Sans EVER! (©Jason McHuff)

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Even anthropomorphic Comic Sans, played by an animated stick figure, inspires hatred. (bradleyness)

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Comic Sans walks into a bar, bartender says, "We don't serve your type." - Exceedingly geeky typeface joke

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