Today's letter is brought to you by the letter: Z.Neuropol, uppercase Z, regular.
Before you go telling me that that's not a 'Z' and is rather some messed up angle bracket, let me assure you, it is in fact the letter Z. It is Neuropol's uppercase, regular Z. It's the missing piece of this 'Z' that makes it so interesting. I connect this style with many things - the future, science fiction, aliens, complex/simple dualities. I feel this is the way movies make alien languages/type look. It's familiar to us, yet foreign at the same time. The slightly rounded ends make it feel friendlier / more human, making it not just a typeface for aliens, but also perfect for messages of a futuristic utopia.
Interestingly enough, linotype.com is not found of this open Z, because on it's Neuropol X page (which is an updated version of Neuropol) it states: "If you’re familiar with the old Neuropol, you will appreciate the improvements made to Neuropol X: a refined finish, lighter lowercase stems, improved spacing, and a closed roof Z. [emphasis mine]" Ha. I suppose I'm in the minority for my fondness for this particular Z, but luckily not in liking Neuropol typeface as a whole, as it has undergone many variations and additions.
Courtesy of indentifont.com, larabiefonts.com, myfonts.com
Design Foundry: Larabie Fonts
Designer: Ray Larabie
Date: 1997
Classification: Futuristic Decorative - Geometric Sans Serif Hybrid (or just a Decorative) font.
(Also known as Neuropol Deluxe, but anything else is just a variation of the original. Also, many of Larabie's fonts are free and available for commercial use, which is pretty great. When I say many, I mean hundreds, so definitely check that out.
"The design bridges a stylistic gap between the geometric sans serif fonts of the late 20th century and superelliptical futuristic fonts." - Linotype.com
Neuropol was an instant hit being widely used to promote music, clothing, electronics and techno-toys for the younger generation. I wonder if maybe I like this typeface because I was being subliminally hit with it in the late 90s? Ha. I'm also saddened I couldn't find specific examples of what this typeface was used for - if you see it let me know!
If I haven't completely convinced you of the greatness of Neuropol yet, check out the smiley face character... err, I mean the umlaut character.
Oh an old poster I did using Neuropol. Hot. Ha.
