Accessible Archives

A well-done set of archives make for a large plus. The first thing I do when I find a new, promising comic is to read the entire archives. Luckily most of the scripts for handling webcomics create decent archives automatically. If you don't use one, try to make sure the pages are clearly labeled and linked (Remember: 'tis death to 404). I prefer seeing the timestamp included in the filename (e.g. 20050424.html), though any ordering scheme works as long as you don't try something like: the_first_comic.html, the_second_comic.html, the_comic_about_plants.html... Those little calendars really help to determine the update schedule (when it's not explicitly stated--another reason why I like the timestamps in filenames).

If your server is capable of it, using an automated script is a good idea. Several free ones are available (AutoKeenLite from http://www.keenspot.com/downloads/, QUACT from http://www.drunkduck.com/resources.php, and Walrus from http://www.walrusphp.com/) and are relatively easy to set up, even without experience.

If you want to stay with manual HTML, there are few common pitfalls. Often the "Next Comic" button will not be changed after an update, and will point to the main page (rather than the next comic in series). Avoid using frames; they make it difficult to save the location of a specific comic. Avoid opening new windows, and above all place every comic in an HTML page, do not link to the image files. Having a template where you need only fill in the URLs is often a great timesaver and can prevent some errors.