The Only Time Comic Sans Creator Vincent Connare Ever Used His Own Font
Comic Sans is one of the most instantly recognizable font types in the digital world, as well as one of the most contentious. It has a fascinating origin, as chronicled by the font's creator Vincent Connare in an interview with Fonts.com. According to Connare, in the early 1990s, he was working for Microsoft's typography team and was doing work on Microsoft Bob, a program designed primarily for young users to get more engaged with computers.
The program featured a cartoon dog, Rover, as their guide. When the dog spoke, the words appeared in Times New Roman, but this didn't sit right with Connare. As he noted in another interview with The Guardian, "Dogs don't talk in Times New Roman! Conceptually, it made no sense."
So Connare got to work on a totally new font, taking inspiration from comic books (surprise, surprise). He tried to emulate popular comic book-style fonts with a mouse, completely freehand. "I didn't have to make straight lines," he recalled. "I didn't have to make things look right, and that's what I found fun. I was breaking the typography rules."
The one time Vincent Connare used Comic Sans
Vincent Connare finished Comic Sans too late for it to be part of Microsoft Bob, but it became popular internally at the company and eventually debuted in Windows 95. In his own words, Connare says he's proud of his font creation and explains that for anyone who doesn't enjoy it, it's maybe because they don't understand its original purpose, which was to connect with novice computer users, per The Guardian.
Of course, because of his strong convictions about the purpose of fonts, Connare has only used Comic Sans in particular cases; more specifically, one particular case: "I've only ever used Comic Sans once," he said. "I was having trouble changing my broadband to Sky, so wrote them a letter in Comic Sans, saying how disappointed I was. I got a £10 refund. In those cases, I would recommend it. The basic theory is that typography should not shout — but Comic Sans shouts."
Comic Sans' split reactions
Speaking to Fonts.com, Vincent Connare reflected on the split reaction to Comic Sans. On the one hand, it's one of the most famous fonts in the world. It has its loyal fans, and, of course, it has its fair share of vocal detractors. As for its popularity, Connare thinks the font's simplicity has a lot to do with it, saying, "Comic Sans isn't complicated, it isn't sophisticated, it isn't the same old text typeface like in a newspaper. It's just fun — and that's why people like it."
But the divisive response to Comic Sans continues to this day, almost 30 years after it was first unleashed on the world. Connare chimed in on the debate, telling The Guardian about a "group called Ban Comic Sans" and about the constant opposition you can find on Twitter. About Comic Sans Twitter, Connare told Fonts.com, "Interesting fact: The main designer at Twitter tweeted that the most server space is used by complaints about: first, airlines; second, Comic Sans; and third, Justin Bieber. So not even The Bieber can beat Comic Sans!"