Through Lines 147

Leslie Feist released not one, but three new songs from her forthcoming album, Multitudes this week. After seeing her performing these songs last year during her brief tour of the same name, this is an exciting moment. Hurry up April 14th!

• File Under: holy shit Bill Watterson is back with a new book called The Mysteries with caricaturist, John Kascht. Literally no one saw this coming.

• Learning to control AI is exactly like learning a new language, and although I don’t think I’ve seen anyone specifically mention this, it seems to me that every interaction with ChatGPT or similar is building entirely new models that will change how we communicate not just to these digital tools — but also with each other.

• The End of Type 1 Fonts. It’s rare for technologies of any kind to have a lifespan as long as Type 1 fonts have, but it doesn’t mean this transition will be entirely smooth despite the long ramp up to this moment.

• No Finish Line, a new book from Nike may yet be the ultimate love letter to the run of experimental paperbacks in the 60s and 70s — in particular (and unquestionably) McLuhan’s The Medium is the Massage.

• “We should talk also about the level of kindness in our organizations, and how we can increase it to drive productivity in a different way” I think I like this Mauro Porcini fella. I certainly agree with his management and hiring philosophy.

• James Brown’s micro LEGO computer bricks can now play Doom and other exciting developments. This is the technology I’m here for.

• A visit to SuperSense in Vienna, Austria and behind the scenes of their exquisite Mastercut direct lacquer cuts. A magical and truly unique place in the world. Hi Doc!

• I’ve warmed up to the idea of The Flash, but mostly because of Michael Keaton returning as Batman. I hope they don’t squander that moment.

• 50 Perfectly Designed Book Covers or a tribute to the incredible work of Peter Mendelsund. Still upset that his edition of Finnegans Wake was never published.

• The fact Disney made this a real book is hilarious and I kind of want it to hit the Bestseller lists on principle alone.

• Maybe not just left-right, up-down, and back and forth, American theoretical physicist Brian Greene suggests what the fourth dimension might look like.

• The most complex language in the world. Science! And adorable little cells.

• Tech companies, not omnipotent after all.

• The oral history of Raccacoonie.

Notable Type Releases

• Suitcase Type’s Lipo spans two axes with nine width proportions and seven weight proportions, an Extended Latin set, Extended Cyrillic, and Greek as well as stylistic sets and more. A real workhorse family all around.
• All I want right now is a poster with something (anything) set very large in Kontour Type’s Marlide Display with its delicious round, bracketed serifs.
• Playful. Vibrant. Ornamental. Organic. All words you might use to describe Freds Fonts’ new Musikal whose off-centered axis and unusual ornamental strokes trace back to the 1880s yet feel fresh and fun. Definitely designed to be used big!
• Bulk is the name of the typeface, and an apt one it is with its forms that are like sculpted stone with sharp angular cuts and rhythmic up/down counters.
• Kapitol from the Formist Foundry gives me old school macOS 7 Chicago vibes except with clearer geometry and utility in its construction. The limited edition box set release is also pretty snazzy.
• The unexpected history surrounding the origins of Reform, for me, just make it that much more enticing than its bold, chunky curves already make it on its own.
• It’s a good week when there’s a new release from OH No Type Co and Casserole is no exception. It comes with just enough delicious flavors to whet your type whistle.