Why do we Hate Comic Sans?
Whether you’re a designer or someone that doesn’t have a clue how to design, it’s a well known fact that the Comic Sans typeface gets a bad reputation. A designer will never use Comic Sans and if they ever have it would’ve been when they were 5 years old. This typeface is easy for children to read so you will often see Comic Sans used in primary schools… but that’s as far as it should go. The use of Comic Sans is a red flag, but why? Why do we all, especially designers, hate Comic Sans?
A Brief History
Comic Sans was designed by Vincent Connare while working at Microsoft. A comic software package had been developed by Microsoft that was using Times New Roman and so Connare decided that the software should use a comic inspired typeface instead… And so Comic Sans was born.
Originally, Comic Sans was designed for children but unfortunately, Microsoft included the font in Windows 95 and by the early 2000s, every Windows computer had it installed and so began the overuse of Comic Sans. People who wanted a “fun” font would use it due to a lack of options, and so it quickly became popular for the use with young children due to its fun, child-like appearance… then hospitals, offices, churches, restaurants, newsagents, police stations, bars… everyone and every business were printing serious information on posters, signs and newsletters in Comic Sans.
First impressions… unprofessional and hideous? You’d be correct.
A lot of people’s first experience with Comic Sans was a passive aggressive note in the workplace on the fridge or printer about food or refilling the paper, typical office annoyances. The person writing the note would often change the typeface to Comic Sans due to its friendly appearance, so that the note wouldn’t appear as aggressive as it may read. Comic Sans has been misused in many ways (like the images above) but the workplace notes were one of the most common.
All fonts and typefaces have a personality and a purpose. When used correctly, they can be effective and evoke certain emotions and reactions. A Sans Serif like Helvetica works well as a headline or as short text on a sign; where as Times New Roman works better for body text. A typeface is like a tone of voice for text, using Comic Sans outside of a very young target audience shows a lack of typographical forethought.
Times New Roman is a serious, formal typeface. It shouldn’t be used for a 5 year old’s birthday party invites.
Comic Sans is a fun, childish, informal typeface. It shouldn’t be used for a doctor’s diagnosis letter.
Comic Sans was designed to look like handwriting and be suitable for children. Therefore, Comic Sans isn’t cohesive and conveys an immature appearance.
Unless it’s a sign for an Easter Egg hunt at a primary school, anything that’s designed with Comic Sans shouts that the person who produced it is NOT a designer and has no idea how to appropriately communicate a meaningful message to its intended audience.
The ONLY appropriate uses for Comic Sans:
When your audience is under 11 years old.
When you’re designing a comic, although better typefaces and fonts are available.
When your audience is dyslexic and has stated that they prefer Comic Sans; as it’s known for being easy to read for dyslexics, but there are other fonts you could use that may suit your content better but still be readable for this audience.
So why is Comic Sans hated?
It has been overused inappropriately
It doesn’t convey a confident or professional feel
It’s difficult to read for body text
It’s ugly, although some may disagree
Doesn’t have a cohesive flow
Misuse of this typeface conveys a lack of design knowledge
To Conclude
Comic Sans was designed to be a friendly and casual typeface and therefore should only be used for a very niche audience, such as young children. The misuse and overuse of this typeface has made it the most hated typeface in the design industry. Due to this, designers are reluctant to use Comic Sans - even in appropriate situations. We just don’t want to be associated with this typeface.
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