diff --git a/src/common/engine/st_start.h b/src/common/engine/st_start.h
index 09eb6ae67..bba7d55e4 100644
--- a/src/common/engine/st_start.h
+++ b/src/common/engine/st_start.h
@@ -182,12 +182,10 @@ BitmapInfo* ST_Util_CreateBitmap(int width, int height, int color_bits);
 uint8_t* ST_Util_BitsForBitmap(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info);
 void ST_Util_FreeBitmap(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info);
 void ST_Util_BitmapColorsFromPlaypal(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info);
-uint8_t* ST_Util_LoadFont(const char* filename);
-void ST_Util_FreeFont(uint8_t* font);
-BitmapInfo* ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap(const uint8_t* font);
-void ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen, const uint8_t* font);
-void ST_Util_DrawChar(BitmapInfo* screen, const uint8_t* font, int x, int y, uint8_t charnum, uint8_t attrib);
-void ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen, const uint8_t* font, bool on);
+BitmapInfo* ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap();
+void ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen);
+int ST_Util_DrawChar(BitmapInfo* screen, int x, int y, unsigned charnum, uint8_t attrib);
+void ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen, bool on);
 
 
 //===========================================================================
diff --git a/src/common/fonts/hexfont.cpp b/src/common/fonts/hexfont.cpp
index 3b985619e..e2bdbff7a 100644
--- a/src/common/fonts/hexfont.cpp
+++ b/src/common/fonts/hexfont.cpp
@@ -415,3 +415,22 @@ FFont *CreateHexLumpFont2(const char *fontname, int lump)
 	if (hexdata.FirstChar == INT_MAX) hexdata.ParseDefinition(lump);
 	return new FHexFont2(fontname, lump);
 }
+
+//==========================================================================
+//
+//
+//
+//==========================================================================
+
+uint8_t* GetHexChar(int codepoint)
+{
+	auto lump = fileSystem.CheckNumForFullName("newconsolefont.hex", 0);	// This is always loaded from gzdoom.pk3 to prevent overriding it with incomplete replacements.
+	if (hexdata.FirstChar == INT_MAX) hexdata.ParseDefinition(lump);
+
+	if (hexdata.glyphmap[codepoint] > 0)
+	{
+		auto offset = hexdata.glyphmap[codepoint];
+		return &hexdata.glyphdata[offset];
+	}
+	return nullptr;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/common/platform/win32/st_start.cpp b/src/common/platform/win32/st_start.cpp
index 3e67c795c..53f701885 100644
--- a/src/common/platform/win32/st_start.cpp
+++ b/src/common/platform/win32/st_start.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
 // The number here therefore corresponds roughly to the blink rate on a
 // 60 Hz display.
 #define BLINK_PERIOD			267
-#define TEXT_FONT_NAME			"vga-rom-font.16"
 
 
 // TYPES -------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -517,7 +516,6 @@ int RunEndoom()
 	int endoom_lump = fileSystem.CheckNumForFullName (endoomName, true);
 
 	uint8_t endoom_screen[4000];
-	uint8_t *font;
 	MSG mess;
 	BOOL bRet;
 	bool blinking = false, blinkstate = false;
@@ -534,15 +532,8 @@ int RunEndoom()
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	font = ST_Util_LoadFont (TEXT_FONT_NAME);
-	if (font == NULL)
-	{
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	if (!ST_Util_CreateStartupWindow())
 	{
-		ST_Util_FreeFont (font);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -553,8 +544,8 @@ int RunEndoom()
 	fileSystem.ReadFile (endoom_lump, endoom_screen);
 
 	// Draw the loading screen to a bitmap.
-	StartupBitmap = ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap (font);
-	ST_Util_DrawTextScreen (StartupBitmap, endoom_screen, font);
+	StartupBitmap = ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap();
+	ST_Util_DrawTextScreen (StartupBitmap, endoom_screen);
 
 	// Make the title banner go away.
 	if (GameTitleWindow != NULL)
@@ -593,12 +584,11 @@ int RunEndoom()
 				KillTimer (Window, 0x5A15A);
 			}
 			ST_Util_FreeBitmap (StartupBitmap);
-			ST_Util_FreeFont (font);
 			return int(bRet == 0 ? mess.wParam : 0);
 		}
 		else if (blinking && mess.message == WM_TIMER && mess.hwnd == Window && mess.wParam == 0x5A15A)
 		{
-			ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink (StartupBitmap, endoom_screen, font, blinkstate);
+			ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink (StartupBitmap, endoom_screen, blinkstate);
 			blinkstate = !blinkstate;
 		}
 		TranslateMessage (&mess);
diff --git a/src/common/platform/win32/st_start_util.cpp b/src/common/platform/win32/st_start_util.cpp
index ec9da4677..b23db71a9 100644
--- a/src/common/platform/win32/st_start_util.cpp
+++ b/src/common/platform/win32/st_start_util.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 #include "palutil.h"
 #include "i_interface.h"
 
+uint8_t* GetHexChar(int codepoint);
+
 void I_GetEvent();	// i_input.h pulls in too much garbage.
 
 void ST_Util_InvalidateRect(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, int left, int top, int right, int bottom);
@@ -331,8 +333,6 @@ BitmapInfo* StartupBitmap;
 #define THERM_LEN				51
 #define THERM_COLOR				0xAA		// light green
 
-#define TEXT_FONT_NAME			"vga-rom-font.16"
-
 // Strife startup screen
 #define PEASANT_INDEX			0
 #define LASER_INDEX				4
@@ -583,7 +583,6 @@ FHereticStartupScreen::FHereticStartupScreen(int max_progress, long& hr)
 {
 	int loading_lump = fileSystem.CheckNumForName("LOADING");
 	uint8_t loading_screen[4000];
-	uint8_t* font;
 
 	hr = -1;
 	if (loading_lump < 0 || fileSystem.FileLength(loading_lump) != 4000 || !ST_Util_CreateStartupWindow())
@@ -591,12 +590,6 @@ FHereticStartupScreen::FHereticStartupScreen(int max_progress, long& hr)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	font = ST_Util_LoadFont(TEXT_FONT_NAME);
-	if (font == NULL)
-	{
-		return;
-	}
-
 	fileSystem.ReadFile(loading_lump, loading_screen);
 
 	// Slap the Heretic minor version on the loading screen. Heretic
@@ -605,17 +598,16 @@ FHereticStartupScreen::FHereticStartupScreen(int max_progress, long& hr)
 	loading_screen[2 * 160 + 49 * 2] = HERETIC_MINOR_VERSION;
 
 	// Draw the loading screen to a bitmap.
-	StartupBitmap = ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap(font);
-	ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(StartupBitmap, loading_screen, font);
+	StartupBitmap = ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap();
+	ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(StartupBitmap, loading_screen);
 
 	ThermX = THERM_X * 8;
-	ThermY = THERM_Y * font[0];
+	ThermY = THERM_Y * 16;
 	ThermWidth = THERM_LEN * 8 - 4;
-	ThermHeight = font[0];
+	ThermHeight = 16;
 	HMsgY = 7;
 	SMsgX = 1;
 
-	ST_Util_FreeFont(font);
 	SetWindowSize();
 	hr = 0;
 }
@@ -659,20 +651,15 @@ void FHereticStartupScreen::Progress()
 
 void FHereticStartupScreen::LoadingStatus(const char* message, int colors)
 {
-	uint8_t* font = ST_Util_LoadFont(TEXT_FONT_NAME);
-	if (font != NULL)
-	{
-		int x;
+	int x;
 
-		for (x = 0; message[x] != '\0'; ++x)
-		{
-			ST_Util_DrawChar(StartupBitmap, font, 17 + x, HMsgY, message[x], colors);
-		}
-		ST_Util_InvalidateRect(StartupBitmap, 17 * 8, HMsgY * font[0], (17 + x) * 8, HMsgY * font[0] + font[0]);
-		ST_Util_FreeFont(font);
-		HMsgY++;
-		I_GetEvent();
+	for (x = 0; message[x] != '\0'; ++x)
+	{
+		ST_Util_DrawChar(StartupBitmap, 17 + x, HMsgY, message[x], colors);
 	}
+	ST_Util_InvalidateRect(StartupBitmap, 17 * 8, HMsgY * 16, (17 + x) * 8, HMsgY * 16 + 16);
+	HMsgY++;
+	I_GetEvent();
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -685,20 +672,15 @@ void FHereticStartupScreen::LoadingStatus(const char* message, int colors)
 
 void FHereticStartupScreen::AppendStatusLine(const char* status)
 {
-	uint8_t* font = ST_Util_LoadFont(TEXT_FONT_NAME);
-	if (font != NULL)
-	{
-		int x;
+	int x;
 
-		for (x = 0; status[x] != '\0'; ++x)
-		{
-			ST_Util_DrawChar(StartupBitmap, font, SMsgX + x, 24, status[x], 0x1f);
-		}
-		ST_Util_InvalidateRect(StartupBitmap, SMsgX * 8, 24 * font[0], (SMsgX + x) * 8, 25 * font[0]);
-		ST_Util_FreeFont(font);
-		SMsgX += x;
-		I_GetEvent();
+	for (x = 0; status[x] != '\0'; ++x)
+	{
+		ST_Util_DrawChar(StartupBitmap, SMsgX + x, 24, status[x], 0x1f);
 	}
+	ST_Util_InvalidateRect(StartupBitmap, SMsgX * 8, 24 * 16, (SMsgX + x) * 8, 25 * 16);
+	SMsgX += x;
+	I_GetEvent();
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -1048,47 +1030,6 @@ void ST_Util_BitmapColorsFromPlaypal(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info)
 	}
 }
 
-//==========================================================================
-//
-// ST_Util_LoadFont
-//
-// Loads a monochrome fixed-width font. Every character is one byte
-// (eight pixels) wide, so we can deduce the height of each character
-// by looking at the size of the font data.
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
-uint8_t* ST_Util_LoadFont(const char* filename)
-{
-	int lumpnum, lumplen, height;
-	uint8_t* font;
-
-	lumpnum = fileSystem.CheckNumForFullName(filename);
-	if (lumpnum < 0)
-	{ // font not found
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	lumplen = fileSystem.FileLength(lumpnum);
-	height = lumplen / 256;
-	if (height * 256 != lumplen)
-	{ // font is a bad size
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	if (height < 6 || height > 36)
-	{ // let's be reasonable here
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	font = new uint8_t[lumplen + 1];
-	font[0] = height;	// Store font height in the first byte.
-	fileSystem.ReadFile(lumpnum, font + 1);
-	return font;
-}
-
-void ST_Util_FreeFont(uint8_t* font)
-{
-	delete[] font;
-}
-
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap
@@ -1098,9 +1039,9 @@ void ST_Util_FreeFont(uint8_t* font)
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-BitmapInfo* ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap(const uint8_t* font)
+BitmapInfo* ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap()
 {
-	BitmapInfo* bitmap = ST_Util_CreateBitmap(80 * 8, 25 * font[0], 4);
+	BitmapInfo* bitmap = ST_Util_CreateBitmap(80 * 8, 25 * 16, 4);
 	memcpy(bitmap->bmiColors, TextModePalette, sizeof(TextModePalette));
 	return bitmap;
 }
@@ -1114,7 +1055,7 @@ BitmapInfo* ST_Util_AllocTextBitmap(const uint8_t* font)
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-void ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen, const uint8_t* font)
+void ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen)
 {
 	int x, y;
 
@@ -1122,7 +1063,7 @@ void ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen,
 	{
 		for (x = 0; x < 80; ++x)
 		{
-			ST_Util_DrawChar(bitmap_info, font, x, y, text_screen[0], text_screen[1]);
+			ST_Util_DrawChar(bitmap_info, x, y, IBM437ToUnicode[text_screen[0]], text_screen[1]);
 			text_screen += 2;
 		}
 	}
@@ -1137,18 +1078,21 @@ void ST_Util_DrawTextScreen(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen,
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-void ST_Util_DrawChar(BitmapInfo* screen, const uint8_t* font, int x, int y, uint8_t charnum, uint8_t attrib)
+int ST_Util_DrawChar(BitmapInfo* screen, int x, int y, unsigned charnum, uint8_t attrib)
 {
+	static const uint8_t space[17] = { 16 };
 	const uint8_t bg_left = attrib & 0x70;
 	const uint8_t fg = attrib & 0x0F;
 	const uint8_t fg_left = fg << 4;
 	const uint8_t bg = bg_left >> 4;
 	const uint8_t color_array[4] = { (uint8_t)(bg_left | bg), (uint8_t)(attrib & 0x7F), (uint8_t)(fg_left | bg), (uint8_t)(fg_left | fg) };
-	const uint8_t* src = font + 1 + charnum * font[0];
+	const uint8_t* src = GetHexChar(charnum);
+	if (!src) src = space;
+	int size = *src++;
 	int pitch = screen->bmiHeader.biWidth >> 1;
-	uint8_t* dest = ST_Util_BitsForBitmap(screen) + x * 4 + y * font[0] * pitch;
+	uint8_t* dest = ST_Util_BitsForBitmap(screen) + x * 4 + y * 16 * pitch;
 
-	for (y = font[0]; y > 0; --y)
+	for (y = 0; y <16; ++y)
 	{
 		uint8_t srcbyte = *src++;
 
@@ -1160,8 +1104,22 @@ void ST_Util_DrawChar(BitmapInfo* screen, const uint8_t* font, int x, int y, uin
 		dest[2] = color_array[(srcbyte >> 2) & 3];
 		// Pixels 6 and 7
 		dest[3] = color_array[(srcbyte) & 3];
+		if (size == 32)
+		{
+			srcbyte = *src++;
+
+			// Pixels 0 and 1
+			dest[4] = color_array[(srcbyte >> 6) & 3];
+			// Pixels 2 and 3
+			dest[5] = color_array[(srcbyte >> 4) & 3];
+			// Pixels 4 and 5
+			dest[6] = color_array[(srcbyte >> 2) & 3];
+			// Pixels 6 and 7
+			dest[7] = color_array[(srcbyte) & 3];
+		}
 		dest += pitch;
 	}
+	return size;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -1173,7 +1131,7 @@ void ST_Util_DrawChar(BitmapInfo* screen, const uint8_t* font, int x, int y, uin
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-void ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen, const uint8_t* font, bool on)
+void ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen, bool on)
 {
 	int x, y;
 
@@ -1183,8 +1141,8 @@ void ST_Util_UpdateTextBlink(BitmapInfo* bitmap_info, const uint8_t* text_screen
 		{
 			if (text_screen[1] & 0x80)
 			{
-				ST_Util_DrawChar(bitmap_info, font, x, y, on ? text_screen[0] : ' ', text_screen[1]);
-				ST_Util_InvalidateRect(bitmap_info, x * 8, y * font[0], x * 8 + 8, y * font[0] + font[0]);
+				ST_Util_DrawChar(bitmap_info, x, y, on ? IBM437ToUnicode[text_screen[0]] : ' ', text_screen[1]);
+				ST_Util_InvalidateRect(bitmap_info, x * 8, y * 16, x * 8 + 8, y * 16 + 16);
 			}
 			text_screen += 2;
 		}
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/vga-rom-font.16 b/wadsrc/static/vga-rom-font.16
deleted file mode 100644
index 672d0e1a9..000000000
Binary files a/wadsrc/static/vga-rom-font.16 and /dev/null differ