Apex Comics Android deserved a real comic shelf, not another file browser

[pedrolito]

Hey everyone,

I collect comics digitally and over the years I've tried most of the Android readers out there. A lot of them are good at one thing: you point them at a folder, you swipe pages, you're done. That works for a quick read. It gets frustrating fast when you actually care about your collection.

You end up staring at filenames instead of a proper shelf. Progress across a series is messy. Nothing really feels built for someone who reads every week, hunts missing issues, or keeps a pull list. Most of the time it feels like a file browser with a reader glued on top.

That's why I built Apex Comics.

I'm an indie dev, and I read comics myself. I wanted something built around how collectors actually use their library: import once, browse properly, pick up where you left off, binge a run, and read in a way that fits the medium. Less utility app, more home for your comics.

Apex is on Google Play now, currently at v1.7.

A library, not a file list

Point Apex at your comics once. Series group naturally. Covers, progress bars, favorites, and proper details turn a pile of archives into something you actually want to open.

• Series stacks: one card per series instead of hundreds of flat covers
• Missing issues: open a series and Apex shows the gaps in your run (#1, #2, #4... where's #3?)
• Continue reading: your current comic sits at the top of the library with cover and progress, one tap to resume
• A to Z index: drag the letter rail to jump anywhere in a big library
• Smart sections, live search, card or list view
• Quick actions: favorite, mark read, details, organize
• Local folders, cloud folders, or Komga, same library experience

Most readers stop at "here are your files." I wanted to start at "here is your collection."

Where your comics live

• Local (free): on your device or SD card. Offline first, your files stay yours.
• Cloud (free): Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox through Android's folder picker. Browse remotely, download what you need, read offline. Each cover shows cloud vs downloaded status.
• Komga (free to connect): your self-hosted library on a NAS or home PC. Browse remotely, download on demand, read offline. No paywall just to connect your server, which some other Komga clients do charge for. Premium only adds sync stuff like reading progress, multi-library tabs, and read status import.

No Apex cloud account needed. No sign-up required for local reading.

Reading

The reader handles western floppies, manga, webtoons, and mixed collections.

• Horizontal, vertical, dual-axis, and webtoon scroll, switch anytime from the reader menu
• Manga direction: RTL or LTR, saved to your preference
• Two-page spread on phones and tablets
• Trim scan borders: auto zoom past white margins on old scans
• Lock orientation while reading
• Deep zoom and ambient mode (page colors bleed into the background)
• Read next issue on the last page, countdown button or swipe forward
• CBZ, CBR (RAR5), and PDF

What I kept missing in other apps

Not trying to bash anyone, different apps suit different setups. But this is what I kept running into, and what testers tend to mention first:

• A proper visual library with covers, series stacks, and real progress tracking
• Something that remembers what you're reading and where you stopped
• Collection stuff on top of reading: stats, discovery, character info, gap tracking
• Free core with optional lifetime Premium, no Play subscription
• Free Komga connect, Premium is for sync and extras
• Guided View, X-Ray, Wednesday release tracking (Premium)
• Horizontal, vertical, dual, webtoon, RTL, pick what fits
• Continue reading card plus read-next at the last page

I tried to design each screen around one question: would a collector actually enjoy opening this?

Premium (optional)

Library and reader stay free. Premium is a one-time lifetime unlock, or a cheap 30-day pass if you want to try first. No monthly fee.

• Guided View: panel-by-panel path through dense pages
• X-Ray via Comic Vine: who's on the page, powers, origins, creators, backstory, without spoiling the rest of your universe
• Discovery: follow series, browse this week and next from Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, Boom!, IDW, etc. Notifications when something you follow releases
• Premium Stats: heatmap, streaks, completions, top series, heroes, publishers. All local, no ad dashboards
• Komga progress sync: resume on your phone where you left off on tablet or server
• Multiple libraries, cloud backup, Cast to TV, ad-free

More details and screenshots: https://apex-comics.uppr.be/

Recent free stuff in v1.7

• AniList & MyAnimeList tracking for local manga
• Rich metadata from ComicInfo tags and Komga
• Backup & restore with a reconnection assistant when you switch phones
• Faster library refresh, large collections don't re-index everything on every pull-to-refresh

Feedback welcome

Still plenty to improve. If you try it, I'd genuinely like to know:

• Does the library feel like a collection, or still like a file list?
• How does the reader compare to what you use now?
• What's the one thing your current app still doesn't do?

Discord: https://discord.gg/tAX2psPhNJ
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ppr.apexcomics
Website: https://apex-comics.uppr.be/

Happy to answer questions in the thread.