ITC Avant Garde Gothic
ITC Avant Garde Gothic is a quintessential geometric sans-serif that epitomizes the modernist ideals of the 1970s typographic revolution. Based on Herb Lubalin's original logotype designs for Avant Garde magazine, this typeface features perfectly circular O's, minimal stroke contrast, and mathematically precise letterforms that prioritize geometric harmony over optical refinement. Its distinctive characteristics include extremely tight letterspacing in display sizes, unconventional ligatures, and a complete absence of stroke modulation that creates a bold, architectural presence on the page.
Brain Waveby Poul Anderson, Ballantine
This typography system communicates psychedelic sci-fi authenticity with a distinctly 1970s counterculture edge. The hypnotic, wave-like distortions of Allen Riptide create an immediate sense of altered consciousness and futuristic disorientation, perfectly capturing the era's fascination with mind-expansion and speculative fiction. The pairing with ITC Avant Garde Gothic grounds this otherworldliness in the period's geometric modernist sensibilities.
Elektra Records logo and record labels (1966–1983)
This typography system embodies rebellious sophistication—the kind of counterculture credibility that could sign both The Doors and classical composers. The outlined stencil "E" paired with heavily flared Phantalian creates a tension between industrial utility and decorative flourish, communicating artistic authenticity with just enough polish to suggest serious musical curation rather than amateur rebellion.
Ellison Wonderlandby Harlan Ellison,Millington
This typography communicates psychedelic literary authority — the kind of experimental, mind-bending energy that matches Harlan Ellison's boundary-pushing science fiction. The chromatic separation of Quartermaine's strokes creates a hallucinogenic effect that feels both futuristic and wonderland-like, perfectly capturing the surreal, consciousness-expanding nature of Ellison's storytelling.