Sans the hate

By Jessica Berget, Editor-in-Chief

What’s everybody’s problem with Comic Sans? It’s really not that bad of a font. I mean, just look at it! The way the edge of each letter is so beautifully soft and rounded. It’s goofy yet formal demeanor almost like a tuxedo t-shirt. They way they look like they were drawn by a kindergarten student. Isn’t there something so whimsical and child-like about it?

Not convinced? Well, don’t just take my word for it. Even Vincent Connare, the creator of the elusive typeface praises its design. In a 2017 Wired conference, he calls his textual invention “the best font in the world.” I mean, he did create it, so he should know something about good fonts, right?

So how did the world come to be blessed with the presence of Comic Sans? In 1995, Microsoft released a software called Microsoft Bob. It served as a user-friendly program to introduce young users to the operating system. A cartoon dog named Rover served as the guide by speech bubbles. Connare was not a fan of Rover talking in the very formal Times New Roman and thought it needed a more comical feel. Hence, Comic Sans. Drawing on inspiration from comic books like Watchmen and The Dark Knight, he initially wrote the new font by hand. In the end, Microsoft Bob didn’t end up using Comic Sans, but the font still lives on. Love it or hate it, it’s going to be around for a long time.

There are so many other bad fonts to dislike, but too many people have jumped on the Comic Sans hate train. Have you seen Papyrus recently for God’s sake? Mistral? French Script? CURLZ MT?!?!?! These are all fonts that should never have been birthed into creation, yet here they are. And people still want to hate on good ol’ salt-of-the-earth Comic Sans. Well I won’t stand for it any longer.

What has Comic Sans ever done to you? Did a harmless font kill your crops, kidnap your family, and burn your house down? I doubt it. Comic Sans has done nothing wrong except be a fun and silly font, so to see so many people hating on it makes my heart weep with Comic Sans font tears. Surely, there is nothing comical about the abuse this font endures.

Comically yours,

Jessica Berget