How Rarebit Handles Comic Archives and Extra Pages

Rarebit generates its archive automatically from the comic files you add, and it lets you build extra pages like a cast list or About page inside the same template. Both features are configured in the single HTML file rather than through a CMS: the archive updates when you upload a new comic, and subpages reuse a shared navbar so readers can move between them. The trade-off is that "automatic" here means "driven by your file naming and settings," not "zero setup" — you still define how files are named and where they live.

The archive page

Rarebit includes an archive page that lists every comic in your collection and refreshes whenever you upload a new one. Because the template reads your comic directory and naming convention, a new file that follows the pattern appears in the list without you editing the archive by hand.

You control three things about how that list looks:

• Order — the sequence the comics are listed in.
• Page numbers — whether they are displayed alongside entries.
• Thumbnails — each listed comic can be given its own thumbnail image.

The archive is one of the template's toggleable features, in line with Rarebit's general design where options like the comic directory, file types, and naming convention can be switched on or off.

What to check before relying on it

The archive only stays current if uploaded files match the naming convention you set. If you rename files inconsistently or drop them outside the configured directory, the list will not reflect them. Decide your naming scheme before you publish your first pages, then keep it consistent.

Extra pages: character pages, About pages, and more

The template ships with an easy way to create subpages such as character pages or an About page. These are separate from the comic reader but part of the same site, and they share a navbar that persists across them — described in the source material as somewhat rudimentary, so expect a functional rather than elaborate menu.

This matters for a comic site because reader-facing context (who the characters are, what the comic is about, where to start) usually lives outside the comic pages themselves. Rarebit keeps that material in the same HTML/JavaScript setup instead of requiring a second system.

How the pieces fit together

Practical notes

• One page, many URLs. Rarebit uses a single HTML page and appends URLs with JavaScript, so layout changes apply site-wide from one file. Your archive and subpages live in that same structure.
• No build tools required. Everything is HTML and vanilla JavaScript — no Bootstrap, jQuery, or extensions — so the archive and subpages are edited directly in the template files.
• Beginners are covered. The code is commented for people with little HTML/JS experience, while remaining modular enough for experienced developers to customize.
• Migrating vertical comics. If your Webtoons-style pages are split into multiple image files, Rarebit supports displaying them as one page, which keeps the archive entries accurate.

If you want full control of your domain and presentation without Tumblr, WordPress, or ComicPress, and you are willing to follow a consistent file-naming scheme, Rarebit's archive and subpage features cover the structural side of running a comic site. Start by downloading the template and the live demo, then set your comic directory, file type, and naming convention before uploading pages — those three settings determine whether the archive maintains itself correctly.