MA-0011 · first seen 19 September 2008
Trollface
A grinning MS Paint face that became the universal sign of trolling and the mascot of rage comics.
- Status
- ClassicPeaked more than five years ago
- Trend score
- 24/100Estimated
- Change, 90 days
- +1%Estimated
- Peak
- 82Nov 2011
- Years active
- 8Index of 30 or more
- First seen
- 200819 September 2008
Popularity over time
Monthly attention from Sep 2008 to Oct 2026. Hover or tab through the chart for each month.
- First appearance
- Went viral
- Peak
- Decline
Attention index, 0 to 100 on one scale for the whole archive. Estimated from each meme’s key dates, not measured.
About
Carlos Ramirez, then an 18-year-old college student in Oakland, drew the face in Microsoft Paint and posted it on 19 September 2008 as the last panel of a rage comic titled “Trolls” on DeviantArt. It reached 4chan almost immediately, where it was adopted as a universal emoticon for provoking someone.
Unusually for a meme, it has an owner: Ramirez registered the copyright in July 2010. It has since been licensed for games and merchandise, removed from a Wii U title over copyright in 2015, and exhibited as a bust at the Museo del Meme in Mexico City.
Origin
Drawn in MS Paint by Carlos Ramirez and posted to DeviantArt on 19 September 2008 as part of a rage comic called “Trolls”.
19 September 2008
Viralization
Adopted on 4chan within days and spread to Reddit and Facebook through rage comics.
October 2008
Peak
Searches for the face peaked in February 2012, alongside rage comics in general.
Nov 2011
Timeline
From the first post to where it stands today.
Origin
A face in MS Paint
Carlos Ramirez posts a rage comic called “Trolls” to DeviantArt; its final panel introduces the face.
Early adoption
4chan adopts it
The face is lifted into other comics and threads as shorthand for provocation.
Viral
Urban Dictionary
By 2009 it has its own dictionary entry, and appears in comics, forums and Facebook pages.
Peak
Peak search interest
Search interest in “troll face” and “rage comics” peaks together in February 2012.
Decline
A copyright lesson
A Wii U game that used the face is removed for copyright infringement, showing it is owned.
Current
NFT and museum
Ramirez announces plans to sell the image as an NFT; a bust of it is exhibited in Mexico City.
Related memes
Chosen by shared era, category, platform and cultural link.
Rage Comics
10/1000%Classic2008Same conversation · Same era
Pepe the Frog
44/100+6%Rising2005Same conversation · Same kind of meme
Success Kid
12/1000%Classic2007Same conversation · Same kind of meme
LOLcats
9/1000%Classic2005Same conversation · Same era