HUGLAGHALGHALGHAL
April 1, 2011 4:29 PM Subscribe
You might expect a jokey April 1 press release announcing Comic Sans Pro is yet another seasonal prank. Yet here it is, as little as $35 per face or $120 for the whole family.
First amendment law question: I know speech is protected by the first amendment, but are typefaces as well?
I mean, would a law outlawing Comic Sans be unconstitutional?
I'm only half-joking.
posted by el io at 4:37 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I mean, would a law outlawing Comic Sans be unconstitutional?
I'm only half-joking.
posted by el io at 4:37 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's obviously fake. I don't think Microsoft has ever charged for it's fonts and they don't mention it on their website.
posted by delmoi at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by delmoi at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2011
> So, in other words, it's a seasonal prank involving more than one website.
I thought that at first, but the samples include extended glyphs that aren't a part of the Comic Sans MS family, and the web stores are perfectly willing to take your money if you try to purchase a Pro face. I'm hesitant to claim this is totally legit, but I don't see evidence that it's a joke, either.
posted by ardgedee at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2011
I thought that at first, but the samples include extended glyphs that aren't a part of the Comic Sans MS family, and the web stores are perfectly willing to take your money if you try to purchase a Pro face. I'm hesitant to claim this is totally legit, but I don't see evidence that it's a joke, either.
posted by ardgedee at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2011
/vaguely annoyed at the implication that Comic Sans would be a good thing to use in a comic, even if it was done in jest.
posted by Artw at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I thought that at first, but the samples include extended glyphs that aren't a part of the Comic Sans MS family
If only there were a way for font designers to create glyphs that aren't already included in existing fonts...
posted by delmoi at 4:46 PM on April 1, 2011
If only there were a way for font designers to create glyphs that aren't already included in existing fonts...
posted by delmoi at 4:46 PM on April 1, 2011
Face it. You just wanted mathowie to format another thread with Comic Sans.
posted by eyeballkid at 4:47 PM on April 1, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by eyeballkid at 4:47 PM on April 1, 2011 [6 favorites]
Who would advertise a real font with a wedding announcement headed "getting it right the 2nd time"?
posted by kenko at 4:48 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by kenko at 4:48 PM on April 1, 2011
Face it. You just wanted mathowie to format another thread with Comic Sans.
He should pony up the $35 and use @font-face, so we can get the extra characters.
posted by Artw at 4:50 PM on April 1, 2011
He should pony up the $35 and use @font-face, so we can get the extra characters.
posted by Artw at 4:50 PM on April 1, 2011
Yeah, it's obviously fake. I don't think Microsoft has ever charged for it's fonts and they don't mention it on their website.
I don't think you could ever get Vincent Connare to say anything nice about Comic-Sans or to encourage it's use.
posted by Artw at 4:54 PM on April 1, 2011
I don't think you could ever get Vincent Connare to say anything nice about Comic-Sans or to encourage it's use.
posted by Artw at 4:54 PM on April 1, 2011
When you search Helvitica on google today the whole page goes comic sans on your ass.
posted by dobbs at 4:56 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by dobbs at 4:56 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
Well, Edible Arrangements runs a successful business with the Papyrus typeface. Although that just raises more questions.
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:56 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:56 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, according to Wikipedia, Comic Sans was based on the style of the text in Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns.
U mad?
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:59 PM on April 1, 2011
U mad?
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:59 PM on April 1, 2011
Also, according to Wikipedia, Comic Sans was based on the style of the text in Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns.
Grmph.
It's a screen font for Microsoft Bob that was never meant to go anywhere else, and though it may be based on comics lettering it certainly isn't designed to be used as comics lettering, and when it's used that way the results are wince making.
You can get an actual proper Dave Gibbons font now, you know.
posted by Artw at 5:05 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Grmph.
It's a screen font for Microsoft Bob that was never meant to go anywhere else, and though it may be based on comics lettering it certainly isn't designed to be used as comics lettering, and when it's used that way the results are wince making.
You can get an actual proper Dave Gibbons font now, you know.
posted by Artw at 5:05 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I can see paying $35 for a well drawn and hinted Comic Sans with broad charset support.
posted by Nelson at 5:05 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by Nelson at 5:05 PM on April 1, 2011
Oddly enough I was wondering just the other afternoon what would happen if MS paid someone to make a nice casual, hand-written kind of font and replaced Comic Sans with it in the next release of Windows. This is not that - it's still the same awkward letterforms vaguely inspired by comic book text, designed mostly to look good coming out of the mouth of a cartoon dog on an unsmoothed 640x480 screen - but it's interestingly close.
posted by egypturnash at 5:06 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by egypturnash at 5:06 PM on April 1, 2011
Yeah, it's obviously fake. I don't think Microsoft has ever charged for it's fonts and they don't mention it on their website.
While Microsoft has never charged for it, Monotype/Ascender will gladly let you buy the original Comic Sans, no joke. And in 2010 they released a version with ligatures, swashes, etc. This may be a joke, but it's real.
posted by zsazsa at 5:16 PM on April 1, 2011
While Microsoft has never charged for it, Monotype/Ascender will gladly let you buy the original Comic Sans, no joke. And in 2010 they released a version with ligatures, swashes, etc. This may be a joke, but it's real.
posted by zsazsa at 5:16 PM on April 1, 2011
HUGLAGHALGHALGHAL
I see what you did there
posted by zsazsa at 5:22 PM on April 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
I see what you did there
posted by zsazsa at 5:22 PM on April 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Comic Sans Pro?
Now, there's three words I never thought I'd see in that combination.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:27 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Now, there's three words I never thought I'd see in that combination.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:27 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Why is there not a "tedious font harping" flag?
posted by gjc at 5:59 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by gjc at 5:59 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would charge someone $120 for Comic Sans.
Suckers.
posted by kayalovesme at 6:04 PM on April 1, 2011
Suckers.
posted by kayalovesme at 6:04 PM on April 1, 2011
Comic Sans should be much more expensive. Like two kidneys expensive.
posted by benzenedream at 6:34 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 6:34 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
Cartoon cats come running when confronted the regular version of this font. Nothing can undo what has been done.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 6:39 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 6:39 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
When you search Helvitica on google today the whole page goes comic sans on your ass.
posted by dobbs at 9:56 on April 2 [+] [!]
Time shift?
posted by arcticseal at 6:48 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by dobbs at 9:56 on April 2 [+] [!]
Time shift?
posted by arcticseal at 6:48 PM on April 1, 2011
I am a TA. Recently a student handed in an essay in comic sans. Even the prof wanted to fail them.
posted by torisaur at 7:01 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by torisaur at 7:01 PM on April 1, 2011
The way this thread is meant to be read.
Warning: May Require Sunglasses
posted by zephyr_words at 7:46 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Warning: May Require Sunglasses
posted by zephyr_words at 7:46 PM on April 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think most people who say they hate comic sans really just hate people who like comic sans.
posted by rocket88 at 8:57 PM on April 1, 2011
posted by rocket88 at 8:57 PM on April 1, 2011
Oh heh, another Comic Sans thread, where people pretend to hate a font but what they really hate are the people using the font.
Turns out though there just aren't very many handwriting-ish fonts at all -- and of the ones there are, it's the only one that works at low point sizes, particularly without anti-aliasing. Go ahead, find another one.
posted by effugas at 12:23 AM on April 2, 2011
Turns out though there just aren't very many handwriting-ish fonts at all -- and of the ones there are, it's the only one that works at low point sizes, particularly without anti-aliasing. Go ahead, find another one.
posted by effugas at 12:23 AM on April 2, 2011
Oh heh, another Comic Sans thread, where people pretend to hate a font but what they really hate are the people using the font.
First they came for the Papyrus users, and I didn't speak out because I didn't use Papyrus...
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 1:34 AM on April 2, 2011
First they came for the Papyrus users, and I didn't speak out because I didn't use Papyrus...
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 1:34 AM on April 2, 2011
would a law outlawing Comic Sans be unconstitutional?
If Comic Sans is outlawed, only outlaws will have Comic Sans.
posted by klausness at 5:30 AM on April 2, 2011 [3 favorites]
If Comic Sans is outlawed, only outlaws will have Comic Sans.
posted by klausness at 5:30 AM on April 2, 2011 [3 favorites]
Turns out though there just aren't very many handwriting-ish fonts at all
whut?
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 8:39 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
whut?
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 8:39 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
ths--
Compared to the nth sans serif variation? Really, there aren't. Especially when you remove expensive font foundries from the equation, and especially when you look at what's widely deployed, the only handwritten (non-cursive) font people have is Comic Sans.
posted by effugas at 5:22 PM on April 2, 2011
Compared to the nth sans serif variation? Really, there aren't. Especially when you remove expensive font foundries from the equation, and especially when you look at what's widely deployed, the only handwritten (non-cursive) font people have is Comic Sans.
posted by effugas at 5:22 PM on April 2, 2011
It's 2011. There's really no excuse for not knowing how to install new fonts. Especially when there are so many decent free fonts floating around.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 10:22 AM on April 3, 2011
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 10:22 AM on April 3, 2011
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posted by kenko at 4:33 PM on April 1, 2011 [3 favorites]