Comic Sans MS

Comic Sans MS is the groovy script font which was first supplied with the Windows 95 Plus! pack. Although it might be seen as a novelty typeface, which is great for titles, it's also extremely readable on-screen at small sizes, making it a useful text face.

A note from Vincent Connare, Comic Sans' designer.

During 1994 I noticed that a large number of cartoon/comic style software titles were under development at Microsoft. As Microsoft Creative Writer had a need for fun fonts, I had an idea to make a lettering script similar to the lettering used by the major comic books.

There was a consistent style used in comics, which was quite unlike the style of lettering you see in newspaper cartoon strips. I also noticed that many people were inappropriately using drafting lettering in comic speech balloons.

I started to make the font in October 1994. Initially it was picked up by the team working on Microsoft 3D Movie Maker for use in speech balloons. As 3D Movie Maker progressed, the programmers added sound so that the characters didn't use balloons. However, the regular weight was still used for help pop-ups and dialog boxes.

Because the regular weight was cleanly hinted for the screen it was also included with the Windows 95 OEM version, the Windows 95 Plus pack, Publisher and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Hope you find the font fun.

Interesting fact - the euro has eyes.

Comic Sans MS version history

Version 2.10 - This version includes some minor table updates, but no new glyphs.

Version 2.00 - Comic Sans version 2.00 was added to our core fonts for the Web page on 4 March 1998. This WGL4 version includes the euro currency symbol.

Version 1.20 - Comic Sans MS version 1.20 was first supplied with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3, and included as one of the original Microsoft core fonts for the Web. This version was also supplied with Internet Explorer 4.

Version 1.10 - This version of Comic Sans MS was supplied with the Windows 95 Plus! pack.

These links will take you from the Microsoft web site to the Ascender Corporation web site. Ascender can provide many common Microsoft supplied fonts under license from Microsoft or under license from other font vendors.