Typefaces *are* copyrightable and have been for some time. In fact, my recently purchased copy of Harry Potter contain a little blurb on the last page explaining the font used and its history as well as claiming a copyright on the font.
As always, when making such a claim, you need to mention what jurisdiciton you're talking about. In the U.S., 37 CFR 202.1 (Material not subject to copyright) says:
The following are examples of works not subject to copyright and applications for registration of such works cannot be entertained: [...] (e) Typeface as typeface.
Means that foundries have successfully used to work around this restriction include copyrighting the font as a computer program used to draw letters of the alphabet, and patenting the font as a method for presenting the letters of the alphabet. The first, however, provides only weak protection for the glyph-shape itself, if that shape can be produced by means substantially different from those used in the copyrighted font file. The second provides much stronger protection for the glyph-shape itself, but is of shorter duration. -- RS