New DC Comics Logo - DC Spin.
Yeah like something this big was going to happen and I wasn't going to comment on it? Haven't I taught you anything? When I heard that this was going to happen, I swear I thought that is was a bad idea. DC's bullet is timeless. It's a classic and it's something that we all know (at least those of us who give a damn). Think about it, the only other comic book company to have a distinct logo would be Image comics, and even that got a slight overhaul a few years ago.
So I waited for the finished product to be shown before I could pass judgement. If the bullet is going to be replaced, then it has to be replaced by something, bigger, better and brighter. Something that won't look dated after a while (like 1 year) and something that's obviously versatile for all the new things that they want to slap it across.
Does this latest iteration actually work for me? Honestly the short answer is no. I like certain elements of it, and I think they've done a pretty good job with certain parts (like the oval shape and the single star), but I think they really dropped the ball on the font of choice, as it's a pretty ugly choice of font in my opinion.
Thing is my opinion counts for shit, as they've gone and done it without consulting me, bastards. I will not forget this insolence. One of the things however that I find really annoying is how the assholes on the message boards think they know what's right. Guys american comics have been known to have some of the worst if not the worst graphic design in publishing history. Oh sure there are some serious gems that break, nay shatter that rule, but as a whole taken as a general point, it's all pretty weak.
Best graphic designer working in comics today is the great Ryan Hughes and Chip Kidd. Every times I see a book that's well put together I'm usually not surprised that it was designed or these gentlemen had a hand in the design of the book.
So back to the asswanks on the board, who give their completely uneducated opinions and then rally around someone who posts a crappy rendition. Please, DC aren't that moronic to just jump for the first thing. I'm sure they had hunderds of iterations before they came up with what they thought was a winner. Oh sure it doesn't mean they got it right, but I can understand what they're trying to achieve.
Points that could improve the current new design would be the typography and choice of font could have been better in my opinion, and maybe the gradients could have been done without, since those will look dated in 4 years time.
Here are few good links if you want some insight into the creation of this logo:
Yeah thats pretty fugly after like 10min...at first i though, not bad, but yeah, it will get out dated............Bad Management!
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to be iconic?
Seriously though, we no longer live in a time and place where design like that is possible.. at least on a corporate landscape.
The idea of simple elegance in graphic design is dying a little more everyday.
I am not a fan of DC Comics for the most part, but I am sad to see that wonderful identity go.
my first impressions were seeing it as a cross between a children's super hero show like power rangers and a toothpaste commerical - I was seriously expecting a pair of teeth to show at any minute with the logo sparkling off their teeth.
The problem is perhaps it all looks to familiar, and another "me to" end result. It could have been worse, but it probably could have done with more indentity of the brand of old.
Oh my! I had no idea this was even happening. I agree Khaled that the font of choice is not very well thought out. Sure it is somewhat smooth looking at first glance, but once you stare at if for a bit, it gets old pretty quick. I'm a pretty firm believer in "If it's not broke, don't fix it." I think they should have left well enough alone and stuck with the classic logo the whole world has come to recognize. I guess Marvel will taking a crack at it next. Sigh, I miss my comics.
Chris you're right iconic is definitely something that is missing in today's corporate design. The thing is though, are they iconic because they were so good, or is it just that time and constant exposure has made them iconic?
I would say that it is a little of both actually. There are designs that were iconic because of their execution and simplicity, the original UPS logo, the Fedex logo, Coca-Cola, I could go on but I think that is enough.
Each of these designs were/are iconic because of the elegance in which the designer communicated the entirety of the corporations mission.
Just amazing, we need more of that in todays design world.
Blogroll Dive: 5/16/05
Here are the highlights from today’s Blogroll dive:
Owen launches Pingomation, a new tool to test your blog’s ability to send and receive pingbacks and trackbacks.
Michael will speak about Open Source design at reboot7.
Khaled ruminates o...