http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev-public/2010-February/015348.html

> * the console font is not set with the keymap hook; previous versions of
> > mkinitcpio did this.
We actually don't need to set any console font. The sole reason we set
the keymap is so we can type in the emergency shell and that passphrases
we type match exactly those we type when the system is up (including
UTF8 or non-UTF8 characters). I intentionally removed all consolefont
handling from initramfs.

I don't agree. There are several reasons why setting fonts in initrd is more convenient:
1. If you don't have framebuffer, bright colored chars turn into cyrillic when init scripts set LatArCyrHeb-16 font. (only the chars that were printed before font was set). AFAIK LatArCyrHeb-xx is the only unicode console font, so it is probably commonly used.
2. Font setting is faster as it only has to be set for tty1, when additional ttys spawn the font settings are cloned. No no need for slow for loop in initscripts that sets font 64 times.
3. Fedora has it that way (it sets LatArCyrHeb-16 font from initrd, before anything else is printed to console) or at least so it was last time I used it.
4. What if I want (from some strange reason) to write some Slovene letters when in the initrd prompt?

If you think it is important, write a consolefont hook and submit a patch. The keymap hook will not include this any more. (The tools to set the font are either in busybox or can be built into busybox)

Ok, I'll make a patch.

Here it is.

mkinitcpio-consolefont.patch [for mkinitcpio source]
adds consolefont hook, CONSOLEFONT should be moved from rc.conf
to mkinitcpio.conf to work as intended

mkinitcpio-busybox-setfont.patch [for mkinitcpio-busybox package]
enable setfont command for initrd busybox

Applied: http://projects.archlinux.org/mkinitcpio.git/commit/?h=kill-klibc&id=6fdbf6edefb4371179783c2539d2f30c682bd155 and http://repos.archlinux.org/wsvn/packages/?op=comp&compare[]=%2Fmkinitcpio-busybox%2Ftrunk@67249&compare[]=%2Fmkinitcpio-busybox%2Ftrunk@68136 so it will make it to the final mkinitcpio 0.6 release.

Did you test this (especially that busybox-setfont can read the font and that setfont is installed to /usr/sbin)?

Yes I did.

Good. We can close this bug on the next mkinitcpio and mkinitcpio-busybox rebuild then.

Error message update (error can also be a consequence of non-existent font file).

@phantom: Thanks for the patch!. One note for next time, please ensure correct indentation spaces vs tabs ;)

[PATCH] Fix tabs/space indents from commit 866db5c5