🎨 make the markdown file configuration explicit

README.md

@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ Comics are stored in the `COMICS` list in `comics_data.py`. Each comic entry:
     'alt_text': 'Alt text for comic',      # Accessibility text (required)
     'title': 'Comic Title',                # Title (optional, shows #X if absent)
     'author_note': 'Optional note',        # Author note (optional, plain text)
+    'author_note_md': '2025-01-01.md',     # Optional markdown file for author note
     'full_width': True,                    # Optional: override FULL_WIDTH_DEFAULT
     'plain': True                          # Optional: override PLAIN_DEFAULT
 }
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ python scripts/add_comic.py
 # Add comic entry AND create markdown file for author notes
 python scripts/add_comic.py -m
 ```
-This will automatically add a new entry with defaults. The `-m` flag creates a markdown file in `content/author_notes/{date}.md` with a template. Then edit `comics_data.py` to customize.
+This will automatically add a new entry with defaults. The `-m` flag creates a markdown file in `content/author_notes/{date}.md` with a template and adds the `author_note_md` field to the comic entry. Then edit `comics_data.py` to customize.
 
 **Option 2: Manual**
 1. Save your comic image in `static/images/comics/` (e.g., `comic-001.png`)
@@ -253,11 +254,26 @@ This creates/updates `static/feed.rss`
 ### Markdown Support
 
 **Author Notes:**
-Create markdown files in `content/author_notes/{date}.md` (e.g., `2025-01-01.md`) for rich-formatted author notes. Markdown author notes take precedence over the `author_note` field in `comics_data.py` and render as HTML.
+Add the `author_note_md` field to your comic entry in `comics_data.py` to use markdown-formatted author notes. The field can be:
+- Just a filename (e.g., `"2025-01-01.md"`) - looked up in `content/author_notes/`
+- A path relative to `content/` (e.g., `"special/intro.md"`)
+
+Markdown author notes take precedence over the plain text `author_note` field and render as HTML.
 
 Example:
+```python
+# In comics_data.py
+{
+    'number': 1,
+    'filename': 'comic-001.png',
+    'date': '2025-01-01',
+    'alt_text': 'First comic',
+    'author_note_md': '2025-01-01.md'  # References content/author_notes/2025-01-01.md
+}
+```
+
 ```bash
-# Create author note for a specific comic
+# Create the markdown file
 echo "# My First Comic\n\nThis is **bold** text!" > content/author_notes/2025-01-01.md
 ```
 

app.py

@@ -72,9 +72,20 @@ def format_comic_date(date_str):
         return date_str
 
 
-def get_author_note(date_str):
-    """Load author note from markdown file if it exists, using date as filename"""
-    note_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'content', 'author_notes', f'{date_str}.md')
+def get_author_note_from_file(filename):
+    """Load author note from markdown file if it exists
+
+    Args:
+        filename: Either just a filename (looked up in content/author_notes/)
+                  or a path relative to content/
+    """
+    # If filename contains a path separator, treat as relative to content/
+    if '/' in filename or '\\' in filename:
+        note_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'content', filename)
+    else:
+        # Just a filename, look in author_notes directory
+        note_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'content', 'author_notes', filename)
+
     try:
         with open(note_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
             content = f.read()
@@ -92,13 +103,17 @@ def enrich_comic(comic):
     enriched['plain'] = is_plain(comic)
     enriched['formatted_date'] = format_comic_date(comic['date'])
 
-    # Check for markdown author note, fall back to data field if not found
-    markdown_note = get_author_note(comic['date'])
-    if markdown_note:
-        enriched['author_note'] = markdown_note
-        enriched['author_note_is_html'] = True
+    # Check for explicitly specified markdown author note file
+    if 'author_note_md' in comic and comic['author_note_md']:
+        markdown_note = get_author_note_from_file(comic['author_note_md'])
+        if markdown_note:
+            enriched['author_note'] = markdown_note
+            enriched['author_note_is_html'] = True
+        else:
+            # File specified but not found, use plain text from comic data if it exists
+            enriched['author_note_is_html'] = False
     else:
-        # No markdown file, use plain text from comic data if it exists
+        # No markdown file specified, use plain text from comic data if it exists
         enriched['author_note_is_html'] = False
 
     return enriched

comics_data.py

@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ COMICS = [
         'date': '2025-01-01',
         'alt_text': 'The very first comic',
         'author_note': 'This is where your comic journey begins!',
+        'author_note_md': '2025-01-01.md',  # Optional: use markdown from content/author_notes/2025-01-01.md (overrides author_note)
         'full_width': True,  # Optional: override FULL_WIDTH_DEFAULT for this comic
         'plain': True,  # Optional: override PLAIN_DEFAULT for this comic
         'section': 'Chapter 1: The Beginning',  # Optional: start a new section on archive page

scripts/add_comic.py

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def main():
     """Add a new comic entry with defaults"""
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Add a new comic entry to comics_data.py')
     parser.add_argument('-m', '--markdown', action='store_true',
-                        help='Generate a markdown file for author notes')
+                        help='Generate a markdown file for author notes and add author_note_md field to comic entry')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     # Get next number
@@ -77,7 +77,16 @@ def main():
         content = f.read()
 
     # Format new entry
-    entry_str = f"""    {{
+    if args.markdown:
+        entry_str = f"""    {{
+        'number': {comic['number']},
+        'filename': {repr(comic['filename'])},
+        'date': {repr(comic['date'])},
+        'alt_text': {repr(comic['alt_text'])},
+        'author_note_md': {repr(comic['date'] + '.md')}
+    }}"""
+    else:
+        entry_str = f"""    {{
         'number': {comic['number']},
         'filename': {repr(comic['filename'])},
         'date': {repr(comic['date'])},