diff --git a/src/components/ThreadCommentRenderer.tsx b/src/components/ThreadCommentRenderer.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90188c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ThreadCommentRenderer.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import { NostrEvent } from "@/types/nostr";
+import { UserName } from "./nostr/UserName";
+import { EventMenu } from "./nostr/kinds/BaseEventRenderer";
+import { RichText } from "./nostr/RichText";
+import { formatTimestamp } from "@/hooks/useLocale";
+import { useGrimoire } from "@/core/state";
+
+/**
+ * Compact renderer for comments in thread view
+ * - No reply preview
+ * - No footer
+ * - Minimal padding
+ * - Used for both kind 1 and kind 1111 in thread context
+ */
+export function ThreadCommentRenderer({ event }: { event: NostrEvent }) {
+  const { locale } = useGrimoire();
+
+  // Format relative time for display
+  const relativeTime = formatTimestamp(
+    event.created_at,
+    "relative",
+    locale.locale,
+  );
+
+  // Format absolute timestamp for hover
+  const absoluteTime = formatTimestamp(
+    event.created_at,
+    "absolute",
+    locale.locale,
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col gap-1.5 p-2 border-b border-border/50 last:border-0">
+      <div className="flex flex-row justify-between items-center">
+        <div className="flex flex-row gap-2 items-baseline">
+          <UserName pubkey={event.pubkey} className="text-sm" />
+          <span
+            className="text-xs text-muted-foreground cursor-help"
+            title={absoluteTime}
+          >
+            {relativeTime}
+          </span>
+        </div>
+        <EventMenu event={event} />
+      </div>
+      <RichText event={event} className="text-sm" />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ThreadConversation.tsx b/src/components/ThreadConversation.tsx
index c7eb114..3b34527 100644
--- a/src/components/ThreadConversation.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ThreadConversation.tsx
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ import { useState, useMemo } from "react";
 import { ChevronDown, ChevronRight } from "lucide-react";
 import { getNip10References } from "applesauce-common/helpers/threading";
 import { getCommentReplyPointer } from "applesauce-common/helpers/comment";
-import { KindRenderer } from "./nostr/kinds";
 import { EventErrorBoundary } from "./EventErrorBoundary";
+import { ThreadCommentRenderer } from "./ThreadCommentRenderer";
 import type { NostrEvent } from "@/types/nostr";
 
 export interface ThreadConversationProps {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ export function ThreadConversation({
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className="space-y-4">
+    <div className="space-y-0">
       {initialTree.map((node) => {
         const isCollapsed = collapsedIds.has(node.event.id);
         const hasChildren = node.children.length > 0;
@@ -167,24 +167,16 @@ export function ThreadConversation({
               )}
 
               <EventErrorBoundary event={node.event}>
-                <KindRenderer event={node.event} />
+                <ThreadCommentRenderer event={node.event} />
               </EventErrorBoundary>
-
-              {/* Reply count badge (when collapsed) */}
-              {hasChildren && isCollapsed && (
-                <div className="mt-2 ml-4 text-xs text-muted-foreground italic">
-                  {node.children.length}{" "}
-                  {node.children.length === 1 ? "reply" : "replies"}
-                </div>
-              )}
             </div>
 
             {/* Second-level replies (nested, indented) */}
             {hasChildren && !isCollapsed && (
-              <div className="ml-8 mt-3 space-y-3 border-l-2 border-border pl-4">
+              <div className="ml-8 mt-2 space-y-0 border-l-2 border-border pl-4">
                 {node.children.map((child) => (
                   <EventErrorBoundary key={child.id} event={child}>
-                    <KindRenderer event={child} />
+                    <ThreadCommentRenderer event={child} />
                   </EventErrorBoundary>
                 ))}
               </div>
diff --git a/src/components/ThreadViewer.tsx b/src/components/ThreadViewer.tsx
index 264967a..2bd8cad 100644
--- a/src/components/ThreadViewer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ThreadViewer.tsx
@@ -344,12 +344,7 @@ export function ThreadViewer({ pointer }: ThreadViewerProps) {
         </div>
 
         {/* Replies Section */}
-        <div className="p-4">
-          <div className="text-sm font-semibold text-muted-foreground mb-3 flex items-center gap-2">
-            <MessageSquare className="size-4" />
-            {replies?.length || 0} {replies?.length === 1 ? "reply" : "replies"}
-          </div>
-
+        <div className="px-3 py-2">
           {replies && replies.length > 0 ? (
             <ThreadConversation
               rootEventId={rootEvent.id}
@@ -357,7 +352,7 @@ export function ThreadViewer({ pointer }: ThreadViewerProps) {
               threadKind={rootEvent.kind === 1 ? "nip10" : "nip22"}
             />
           ) : (
-            <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground italic">
+            <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground italic p-2">
               No replies yet
             </div>
           )}