Microsoft Comic Chat, rebuilt for the browser
Microsoft Comic Chat was a chat program that turned online conversations into comic strips. This site is a new, independent web version inspired by it, where every message you type appears as a speech balloon in a black-and-white comic. You can try it now in your browser, with no download and no account.
What was Microsoft Comic Chat?
Microsoft Comic Chat was a chat client for IRC (Internet Relay Chat), released by Microsoft in the mid-1990s. Instead of showing a scrolling list of text, it drew the conversation as a comic. Each person in the room picked a cartoon character, and their messages appeared in speech balloons above that character.
The program arranged panels automatically, decided where characters should stand and chose their poses and facial expressions. Users could also set an emotion, such as happy, angry or bored, using a small emotion wheel, and the character's pose would change to match. The project grew out of research at Microsoft into automatically generating comics from conversation.
Why people remember it
The comic format made chatting feel playful. A quick exchange of jokes became a strip you could scroll back through, and even ordinary small talk looked like a scene from a cartoon. Shouting in capitals produced a spiky balloon, and private thoughts floated in clouds.
The characters gave people a recognisable presence in a room long before profile photos were common. Regulars became known by the character they chose, and the hand-drawn, black-and-white style had a charm that plain text chat lacked.
For many people it was also part of their first experience of meeting strangers online: dial-up modems, busy chat rooms and the excitement of an internet that still felt new.
How this version differs
If you are looking for a Microsoft Comic Chat alternative that works today, here is what this rebuild offers:
- Comic Chat online, in your browser. No installation, no IRC client and no Windows requirement. It works on phones, tablets and computers.
- A modern, maintained codebase. It is a new program written from scratch for the web, not a copy of the old software.
- Emotion-driven character poses. Pick a mood on the emotion wheel and your character's pose changes; an angry mood, for example, gives a cross expression and posture.
- Shareable comics. Save a conversation as a comic, share it with a link or export it as an image.
- A public gallery. If you choose to, you can publish a shared comic to the gallery for others to read.
Try it now
Join a room as a guest. No account needed — there is nothing to download, so there is no Comic Chat download to find. Just pick a name and a character.
Frequently asked questions
Is this made by Microsoft?
- No. Comic Chat is an independent recreation. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Microsoft. The classic character artwork comes from Microsoft's open-source release of the original program, which was published under the MIT licence.
Can I download the original Microsoft Comic Chat here?
- No. This is a new web app, not the original program. The original is no longer officially distributed as a download. Microsoft has published its source code openly, so developers can study it, but running the old Windows program today generally means using an old copy on an older version of Windows or a virtual machine. If you just want the comic-strip chat experience, you can use this browser version with nothing to install.
Is it free?
- Yes. Joining rooms, chatting, exporting comic images and sharing comic links are all free.
Do I need an account?
- No. You choose a display name and a character, and join a room as a guest. There is no email address or password.
Where is my data stored?
- Your display name, character and a random guest identifier are kept in your browser. Messages sent in online rooms are stored on our servers so everyone in the room can see them. Comics you choose to share are saved so their links keep working, and you can delete a comic you shared at any time. We also collect anonymous usage statistics — approximate location (country, region, city), device and browser type, and counts of commonly used words — to improve the site. These never include names, full messages, whispers or IP addresses.