Type has the ability to make us “hear” the words in a certain “voice” as we read the words. If the words are conveyed in hard-to-read lettering or lettering that speaks in the wrong voice, the cartoon will suffer. Even once you rule out all serif lettering, the lion's share of sans serif types tend to strike the wrong chord.

To better understand this complex psychological interaction, think about the ways type conveys feeling. Letters that are tall and thin convey a feeling of propriety and elegance. Type in which each letter is drawn with a line of varying thickness might be a bit too energetic for a cartoonist's use — and hard to read in more than one line at a time. Italics convey motion and energy, but they, too, are hard to read in paragraph form. Wide, round lettering conveys an affability and friendliness that might be more appropriate for a cartoonist.