About Device Fonts

Rian Hughes is a graphic designer, illustrator, writer, typographer and sometime comic book artist who has worked extensively for the British and American publishing, music, advertising and comic book industries. He has written and drawn comics for 2000AD and Batman: Black and White, and designed logos for James Bond, the X-Men, Superman, Hed Kandi and The Avengers, collected in the Eisner-nominated book Logo a Gogo (Korero Press, 2018). He has published two novels, XX (Picador, Overlook Press, 2020) and The Black Locomotive (Picador, 2021).

Rian studied at the LCP in London before working for an advertising agency, Smash Hits, i-D magazine and a series of record sleeve design companies. Under the name Device he now provides design, custom type and illustration for advertising campaigns, record sleeves, book jackets, graphic novels and television. A retrospective monograph collecting his work, Art, Commercial (DGV) was published in 2001.

His first graphic novel was The Science Service for Belgian publisher Magic Strip. This was followed by Dare for IPC’s short-lived Revolver, an “iconoclastic revamp of the ’50s comic hero Dan Dare” written by Grant Morrison. His strips from the ‘Galaxy’s Greatest’ have been collected in Yesterday’s Tomorrows (Dare, Really and Truly plus others) and Tales from Beyond Science (written by Mark Millar, John Smith and Alan McKenzie). More recently he wrote and drew a Batman: Black and White tale for DC Comics, contributed to Vertigo: Magenta, designed the map of the DC Multiverse and was reunited with Morrison for two stories in Heavy Metal.

Hughes has also designed posters for Tokyo fashion company Jun Co.’s Yellow Boots chain, the animated on-board safety film for Virgin Airlines, a Eurostar poster campaign, a collection of Hawaiian shirts, a range of watches for Swatch, a BDA International Gold Award and Creative Use of Print Award-winning brochure for MTV Europe’s Music Awards, Doctor Who and Star Trek merchandise for Eaglemoss, and numerous book jacket illustrations and CD covers. He has designed many logos for DC, Marvel, Valiant, Image and other comic book companies for such titles as Batman, the X-Men, James Bond, The Avengers and Spider-man.

His early fonts were released as part of FontShop’s FontFont range. He set up his own foundry Device Fonts in 1993, through which he has released many original designs including typefaces originally designed for clients as diverse as Mac User, 2000AD and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Device Fonts are currently available from this site, MyFonts, FontSpring and through Adobe Creative Cloud.

He has contributed to numerous international exhibitions, lectured widely both in the UK and internationally, and a one-man show of his work was held in 2003 the Conningsby Gallery, London. Ten Year Itch, a celebration of the first ten years of Device Fonts, was published in 2005, while the extensive catalogue Typodiscography covers all of Device Fonts' releases up to 2020, and features background information, interviews and type samples.

Recent books include Custom Lettering of the 20s and 30s, the latest in the Custom Lettering trilogy, the all-ages wordless graphic novel I Am A Number (Top Shelf), Soho Dives, Soho Divas (Image) which collects his burlesque drawings, and Cult-Ure: Ideas Can Be Dangerous (Fiell) in which he sets out his memetics manifesto.

He has a collection of Thunderbirds memorabilia, a fridge full of vodka, and a stack of easy listening albums which he plays very quietly.

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Podcasts

The Virtual Memories Show: Rian Hughes (episode 546)
The Black Locomotive, Rayguns and Rocketships, AI, J.G. Ballard...

The Virtual Memories Show: Rian Hughes (episode 409)
XX, graphic design, semiotics, SF, typography...

Across the Pond book podcast
The Black Locomotive, typography, design, steam trains...

Logo Geek
"Interview with Logo, Type & Comic Book Legend Rian Hughes"

Forbidden Planet TV
"Rian Hughes discusses XX: A Novel, Graphic with Grant Morrison"

Strand Books
"Rian Hughes in conversation with Grant Morrison" 

Etcetera ETC podcast
XX, punk rock, unique London nightclubs, book cover vs album sleeve design...

Big Squid podcast with Justin Hamilton
XX, comics, typography, logo design...

St Bride's Institute talk: XX
"Exploring the narrative potential of graphic design"

Bookin'
XX, design, James Joyce, pulpy SF

Design Manchester presents Past, Present, Future
"Leading designers talking about creative influence, places, practice and ideas"

Panel Borders
Interview by Alex Fitch from Resonance FM

Articles, reviews and interviews

Financial Times
"XX, a ‘novel, graphic’ with big ideas, extra bold"

Boston Globe
"Rian Hughes’s illustrated novel ‘XX’ reinvents a classic science fiction trope in a massive work of dizzying originality"

The Guardian
The best recent fantasy, horror and science fiction

The Guardian
The 10 strangest alien invasion novels

The Hollywood Reporter
Why XX is Unlike Any Other SF Story

Design Observer
Typography meets SF (Interview) by Steven Heller

Design Week
Profile

This Is Cabaret
Rian Hughes Sketches Burlesque Beauties in “Soho Dives, Soho Divas”

Daily Mail
XX review

Departures
"Speaking Alien" by Rian Hughes

It's Nice That
"Rian Hughes uses type and layout as part of the narrative in XX: A Novel, Graphic"

Creative Review
Rian Hughes on Graphic Novels

The Big Issue
"The Black Locomotive: adventurous and original"

Print Magazine
The Seedy Beauty of the Soho Diva by Steven Heller

SciFi Now
"The Power of Typography"

HuffingtonPost
Book Review: Soho Dives, Soho Divas by Rian Hughes

Space.com
"Rian Hughes delivers a modernist sf saga of epic proportions in his debut novel"

Geek Dad
The Black Locomotive

The Bookseller
Rian Hughes interview

Paul Semel
XX Author Rian Hughes interview

SFF World
Rayguns and Rocketships

Slings and Arrows
Yesterday's Tomorrows

Lonesome Reader
XX

Logolounge
Rian Hughes

Typographica
Rian Hughes interview by Yves Peters

EdenSpiekermann
Rian Hughes at TYPO London 2012

Designboom
Lifestyle illustration of the 60s

The Beat
Classic Comics Compendium: DARE by Grant Morrison, Rian Hughes

Tripwire
Logo a Gogo

Tripwire
Rayguns and Rocketships review

MyFonts
Creative Characters interview

Great Krypton
Designing a Tangent interview

Core 77
'CULT-URE: Ideas Can Be Dangerous' Book Review

Starburst
XX, A Novel, Graphic

Starburst
Rayguns and Rocketships

Parkablogs
Logo a Gogo, Branding Pop Culture

CBR
Conversing on Comics with Rian Hughes (Interview)

40 Years of Thrill Power
Panel discussion

Creative Characters
MyFonts Interview

SyFy Wire
"Take a deep dive into XX" 

Creative Boom
Rian Hughes on narrative design, creating fonts for aliens, and reinventing the novel

Really and Truly
Wikipedia entry

Bibliography

Rayguns and Rocketships: Vintage Science Fiction Book Cover Art
(hardback, slipcased hardback, 420 pages, Korero Press, 2022)
Edited and designed and with an introduction by Rian Hughes,
foreword by Steve Holland, afterword by Phil Harbottle

The Black Locomotive
(hardback and paperback, 400 pages, Picador, 2021/2)
Novel, written and designed by Rian Hughes

XX
(hardback and paperback, 980 pages, Picador, 2020/1)
'A Novel, Graphic' written and designed by Rian Hughes

Take a Deep Breath - Living With Uncertainty
(paperback, Chameleon Publishers, 96pp, 2021)
Text by Igor Goldkind, designed and illustrated by Rian Hughes and others

Typodiscography
(limpback, 560 pages, Device, 2019)
Device Fonts type catalogue.
Edited, designed and with essays and interviews by Rian Hughes

Logo-a-Gogo: Branding Pop Culture
(hardback, slipcased hardback, 560 pages, Korero Press, 2018)
Written and designed by Rian Hughes, collecting the logo designs of the author

I Am A Number
(Hardback, 96 pages, Top Shelf Productions, 2018)
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes

Is She Available?
(Hardback, Subversion Factory, 158 pages, 2018)
Text by Igor Goldkind, designed and illustrated by Rian Hughes,
David Lloyd, Bill Sienkiewicz and others

Custom Lettering of the 20s and 30s
(flexi, 576 pages, Korero Press, 2016)
Edited, designed and with an introduction by Rian Hughes,
forward by Leslie Carbarga

Batman: Facts and Stats from the Classic TV Show
(hardback, 128 pages, Titan Books, 2016)
Written by Y. Y. Flurch, designed by Rian Hughes

Get Lettering
(96 pages, Kinkajou, 2016)
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes

Get Mapmaking
(96 pages, Kinkajou, 2016)
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes

112 Hours: Device Fonts Collection 15 
(hardback and paperback, 172 pages, Device, 2014)
Device Fonts typeface catalogue,
designed and with an introduction by Rian Hughes

Soho Dives, Soho Divas
(hardback, paperback, 360 pages, Image Comics, 2013)
Illustrated and introduced by Rian Hughes

Lifestyle Illustration of the 50s
(limpback, 512 pages, Goodman Fiell, 2013)
Edited, designed and introduced by Rian Hughes,
foreword and biographies by David Roach

Tales from Beyond Science
(paperback/hardback, 88 pages, Image Comics, 2012)
Written by Mark Millar, John Smith, Alan McKenzie

Hardware: The Definitive SF Works of Chris Foss
(hardback, 280 pages, Titan Books, 2011)
Edited and designed by Rian Hughes,
with introductions by Rian Hughes, Moebius and Imogene Foss

Yesterday's Tomorrows
(paperback, 280 pages, Image Comics, 2010, hardback, slipcased hardback, Knockabout Comics, 2009)
A collection of comics written by Grant Morrison, John Freeman, Tom De Haven and Chris Reynolds

Cult-ure: Ideas can be Dangerous
(hardback, 320 pages, Fiell, 2010)
Written and designed by Rian Hughes

Custom Lettering of the 40s and 50s
(flexi, 580 pages, Fiell, 2010)
Edited, designed and with an introduction by Rian Hughes

Custom Lettering of the 60s and 70s
(flexi, 580 pages, Fiell, 2010)
Edited, designed and with an introduction by Rian Hughes

On The Line
(hardback, 48 pages, Image Comics, 2010)
Collects the comic strip from The Guardian, written by Rick Wright,
illustrated by Rian Hughes

Lifestyle Illustration of the 60s
(limpback, 520 pages, Fiell, 2010)
Edited, designed and introduced by Rian Hughes,
foreword and biographies by David Roach

Ugenia Lavender
(six volumes, hardback/paperback, 68 pages, Macmillan, 2009/10)
Written by Geri Halliwell, illustrated by Rian Hughes

Ten Year Itch
(limpback, 120 pages, Device, 2004)
Device Fonts typeface catalogue,
designed and with an introduction by Rian Hughes

Art, Commercial
(hardback, 320 pages, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2002)
Monograph documenting illustration, logo design and design work,
designed by Rian Hughes, introduction by Grant Morrison

Firewords: A Book of Wordplay Poems
(paperback, hardback, 80 pages, Oxford University Press, 2000)
Edited by by John Foster, illustrated and designed by Rian Hughes

Dare
(limpback, 72 pages, Expresso Books, 1991)
Written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Rian Hughes

The Science Service
(hardback, 48 pages, Magic Strip/Acme/Eclipse, 1989)
Written by John Freeman, illustrated by Rian Hughes

Comics

"Ezra and Chastity"
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes, Heavy Metal 314, February 2022

I Am A Number
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes, Top Shelf Productions, 2018

"Industria"
written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Rian Hughes, Heavy Metal 282, September 2016

"The Key"
written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Rian Hughes, Heavy Metal 282, September 2016
Originally published as part of the BBC's "Freedom" 2014 series of online comics

"The Rise and Fall of Empires"
written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Rian Hughes, Heavy Metal #292

"Magenta is Not A Colour"
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes, Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK #2) September 2014
Collected in "Vertigo CMYK" July 2015 (ISBN 978-1401253363)

"Namtab"
Written and illustrated by Rian Hughes, Batman Black & White (2013-2014) #3 (of 6)
Collected in hardcover July 2014 (ISBN 1-4012-4643-5). 
Softcover January 2015 (ISBN 978-1-4012-5062-1).

Nelson
Edited by Woodrow Phoenix and Rob Davis 
Blank Slate Books, paperback, November 2011 (ISBN 9781906653231)

Robo-Hunter
written by Peter Hogan, illustrated by Rian Hughes
"Slade Runner" (in 2000 AD 1994 Yearbook, 1993)
"Winnegan's Fake" (in 2000 AD #852–854, 1993)
"Metrobolis" (in 2000 AD #904–911, 1994)
"War of the Noses" (in 2000 AD #1023, 1996)

Tales from Beyond Science
illustrated by Rian Hughes
"The Men in Red" with Mark Millar, in 2000 AD No. 774, 1992
"The Music Man" with Alan McKenzie, in 2000 AD No. 775, 1992
"Long Distance Calls" with Mark Millar, in 2000 AD No. 776, 1992
"Agents of Mu-Mu" with Alan McKenzie, in 2000 AD No. 777, 1992
"The Eyes of Edwin Spendlove" (with John Smith, in 2000 AD No. 778, 1992
"Secrets of the Organism" with John Smith, in 2000 AD No. 779, 1992
"The Secret Month Under the Stairs" with Mark Millar, in 2000 AD Winter Special 4, 1992
"The Man Who Created Space" with Mark Millar, in 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special, 1994

Tales from Beyond Science
Collected in trade paperback, Image Comics, January 2012

"Really & Truly"
written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Rian Hughes, in 2000 AD #842–849, 1993

"Dare"
written by Grant Morrison
"Dare" (Revolver #1–7, 1990)
"Dare" (in Crisis #55–56, 1991)

Dare
written by Grant Morrison
Collected in paperback, Expresso Books (Fleetway), 1991

The Science Service
written by John Freeman
ACME/Eclipse, 1989, ISBN 0-913035-86-6)

The Inheritors
Modern Era Editions, 1988

Zit
three issues, self-published, 1983-4

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