Earth Dan solo quest — Typophile archive

john1 October 2014 · 13:210 votes

This is a post regarding DAN SOLO and is book ART DECO. There is a font in the book called EARTH. I am of the opinion that is more to this alphabet than what is shown in the book. I do believe that there are more characters and punctuation and numbers. And so I do believe that the name in the book is not real name of this font. There are bound to be other books. With this alphabet in it and sources out there. With so many tv shows and movies using the font there is more to this than just what is shown. The DAN SOLO CAT of 4000 plus font samples shows there is more letters in this set. So where is the source of this font called EARTH. Where did DAN get it from and were are the studios and companies getting the other variations. Any information please help.

K.C. Thompson1 October 2014 · 17:130 votes

http://abfonts.freehostia.com/solopedia/solopedia-e.htm

George Thomas1 October 2014 · 17:170 votes

This type ID request needs to go in Type ID Board

Bob Evans1 October 2014 · 18:400 votes

Close but not perfect Pbio from Dafont
http://www.dafont.com/pbio.font?text=RQGW

Michel Boyer1 October 2014 · 20:000 votes

For variations http://www.elfring.com/earth1.htm

john2 October 2014 · 01:170 votes

Who ever moved post, comments noted, wasnt sure were to post topic. Thx for comments...will check them out. Any other info please post.

George Thomas5 October 2014 · 08:140 votes

I found the exact font listed as "Ultraname", dated 1992, as a shareware font. It does not appear to be available currently in all the major shareware collections on the web though -- at least under that name.

[EDIT]
I just got an email from the person who had the font listed as "shareware"; that was an error on his part. Gary Elfring published the font so it was commercial.

Patrick Concannon20 March 2015 · 01:500 votes

As far as I can deduce, Gary Elfring created the EARTH typeface family in the 1970's for use as a phototype font - a method of storing typographic characters on small film strips. These characters could be individually exposed using phototypesetting equipment and then pasted-up to form complete words or layouts. The completed layouts were then re-photographed and delivered to clients as slides, strips, or prints. This process was particularly popular with film studios who used phototypes/filmotypes for titling.

However, digital technologies rendered phototypesetting obsolete towards the late 1980's. A few of the more unique typefaces designed for this process became unusable when phototype equipment was eventually phased out. Unfortunately, EARTH is one of those typefaces.

Elfring Fonts did create a digital version in the early 90's but, for reasons unknown, modified many of the characters. Perhaps there was a potential licensing issue as many companies used the EARTH typeface in logos.

Dan X. Solo probably had access to the requisite phototype equipment as many of his books were published during the 70's and 80's when phototypesetting was the lettering standard. This is also true of any other samples you may find. Most will be from the 70's to the very early 90's. I've seen it listed by Dan as EARTH/EARTHDAYS, and elsewhere as TELEMETRY - though this is likely just a clone of Elfring's digital EARTH font.

OTHER APPEARANCES
Sheller-Globe Corporation - Superior/RV/Coaches (Circa 1976) (logotype)
Frederik Pohl - Gateway (1977) (title lettering, chapter headings) (http://smsa.org.au/assets/gateway-frederik-pohl.jpg)
Warren Presents Alien Invasions Comix (1979) (title lettering)
Charles Platt - Dream Makers: The Uncommon People Who Write Science Fiction (1980) (title lettering)
Blade Runner (1982) (license plate props)
TSR Star Frontiers Game (1982) (logotype)
--- There's also a font based on this lettering known as Zebulon.
Automan (1983) (opening titles)
Quentin Corporation Disk Drives (1984) (logotype)
The Terminator (1984) (opening titles, marketing materials)
Tightrope (1984) (opening titles)
Airwolf (1984) (opening titles)
--- The Airwolf Themes CD authors digitally remade the titling font as CairnsAIRWOLFBold and CairnsAIRWOLFExtraBold for exclusive use.
Humanoid Defender (1985) (opening titles)
Disneyland Star Tours Starspeeder Service Poster (1987) (logotype)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) (opening titles, marketing materials)
---A lighter weight used for the credits block on posters also resembles EARTH DEMI.
Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003) (opening titles)
---It should be noted that Pacific Title & Art Studio likely has/had a phototype copy of the typeface. Whether or not they digitized it for T3's titles is unknown but it looks a lot sharper and steady than its previous optical appearances.

Hitachi also used it on various products and Roland also used it on much of their sound equipment.
--- As mentioned above, there is also a font based on the Roland equipment lettering called PBIO.

@jjdowney_1980
I can understand your ongoing quest to find a complete character set but I don't think it's very likely. Between the sources above you can determine the missing letters of the EARTH typeface. Some of the printed sources are also much sharper than the rounded/wobbly quality of the optical film titles. You could always contact Gary Elfring and see if he would be able to recreate a more accurate digital version for you.