You know, comics are pretty damn simple in their most basic form. It's just pictures and words.
PICTURES.
AND WORDS.
So what constitutes a "good" comic, then? Nice drawings? Attractive characters? Attention to color theory? Decent writing?
What about this "writing" then? It should be displayed in a visually appealing (or at least comprehensive) style, right? If it's not, then the reader will be less inclined to read the content and just gaze over the pretty pictures. Which is all fine and dandy, but that kind of destroys any kind of purpose the words were set there for.
So, then, typography in comics is important, yes?
Assuming you didn't just get punched in the face for disagreeing, then let me ask you this...
WHY ON THIS GOOD, GREEN EARTH ARE COMIC ARTISTS ALLOWED TO USE PAPYRUS?
It doesn't matter HOW GOOD or HOW WELL WRITTEN or HOW PRETTY the comic is. If I see a shred of this typeface on a comic I just completely lose my appetite for it. I lose any respect I had for the artist the second that damned P with its simulated cracked edges and gimpy shoulder appears on a page.
Mainstream media sees its fair share of bad typography *coughbluecatpeoplecough*, and so has mainstream comics. But, the place that seems to be the infesting breeding grounds for Papyrus and Chiller is the webcomic. Just today I lost respect for at least three webcomics because for some godawful reason the author thought their webcomic name looked best in Papyrus of all typefaces. Was it accidental? Did they just open up their font selection, close their eyes, hit a key, save the image, upload it to their site, and just never look at it again?
I fear thinking it could ever be intentional.
Not all webcomic artists have the typographic skill of a first grader on dope, however. The author of Hanna is Not a Boy's Name, for example (best example), has be-a-utiful typography. Girl knows her shit. Lots of it is hand done and guess what? Not a fucking ounce of Papyrus.
Here's a cheat sheet of the HORRENDOUSLY UNACCEPTABLE TYPEFACES TO USE EVER:
{A comic artist's typographic blacklist}
-Papyrus
-Chiller
-Comic Sans
-Curls MT
-Marker Felt
-oh god and so many more. These are just the default.
I'M EVEN OKAY WITH COMIC SANS JESUS CHRIST.
(not really, but if I have to read one more comic page with Chiller text I will stab a baby)
It takes.
Two seconds.
To go to blambot.
And download a free comic typeface.
You don't have to be stuck in 1999 with Chiller.
You don't have to die from being stabbed if you use Papyrus in your comic about bluecatpeople.
I don't know. Maybe I'm being too sensitive about this because I live with a graphic designer and partake in an occasional design course. But all I know is that I will not read your comic if you use a blacklisted typeface.
I don't care if that makes me an elitist douchebag.
Fuck you, Papyrus.
Suck a dick.
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Thank you. You make me very, very happy. I have the exact same feelings as you. My teacher has been having a love affair with Comic Sans MS for four years (or more!). I want to tell her so terribly that every note she prints out burns my eyes and makes me want to claw them out, but alas, I want a good grade.
ReplyDeleteI hate those 90s fonts, I really, really do. daFONT.com is also another great resource.
God, I didn't know the name of Papyrus, but I hate it.
ReplyDeleteIt's so...ugly. And Comic Sans has ever so slowly gotten on my nerves.
I don't think I can read a comic with Papyrus. It just aggravates me.
THANK YOU.