Comic archive

_data/comics.json is the ordered catalogue, oldest first. Each entry has a stable slug, title, /comics/<slug>/ URL, full-resolution image, actual pixel width and height, descriptive alt text and the Vault source_id.

To add a comic:

Download the original from the Newsletter Vault Comics folder (1GGQoswjRVrsJxQ_s0ugna0tAw5n3-heB) using gog drive download <id> --out <path>. Save it as assets/comics/<title-slug>.<extension> without resizing or recompressing.
Append its entry to _data/comics.json. Use a lowercase, hyphenated slug based on the title. Keep that URL stable after publication, even if the title changes.
Run python3 scripts/sync_comic_pages.py. This creates the Jekyll page and updates the image lookup and generates lightweight archive thumbnails with ImageMagick (convert). The originals stay full resolution. Navigation, the archive and the random catalogue use the data file automatically; no plugin or Jekyll configuration change is needed.
Embed the catalogue image via inline-image.html or a post’s image: field. Both templates link catalogue images to their comic page and use the original. Raw HTML and Markdown images need an explicit link to the comic page.
In newsletters, embed the full-resolution original and set its click-through to https://www.chrismdp.com/comics/<slug>/. Link readers to that page.

_data/comic_images.json also maps older blog image paths to their originals and canonical pages. Preserve these aliases. When adding an alias, copy the target comic’s url, image and alt; the synchronisation script refreshes its metadata.

Checks (template rendering only; no Jekyll build or server):

bundle exec ruby tests/comics/render_test.rb
node tests/comics/random_test.js

Set COMIC_PREVIEW_DIR=/tmp/comic-preview for the Ruby check to save a few rendered examples for browser inspection. This does not write to _site.