The starter shelf, and why it's legal
Updated November 1, 2026.
ComicDuo reads files you already own, which leaves a new reader with an empty library. The starter shelf fixes that: a set of free comics you can add from inside the app, published under a license that lets ComicDuo offer them. They don't count toward the five-book trial.
What's on the shelf
The shelf carries Pepper&Carrot by the French artist David Revoy, a fully painted fantasy comic about a young witch and her cat, starting with episode 1, “Potion of Flight.”
Episodes come in your device's language when the shelf has that language, and in English otherwise. The shelf is updated from ComicDuo's server, so new episodes and titles can appear without an app update.
How to add a comic
- In the Library, tap Starter Shelf in the toolbar. In an empty Library, you can also tap Get Free Comics.
- Tap Add to Library next to an episode. It downloads in the background.
- Tap Read, or open it from your Library like any other book.
To take an episode off your device, tap Remove. If you'd rather not see the shelf at all, turn off Show Starter Shelf in Settings › Starter shelf; the toolbar button then opens only your servers.
Why it's legal
David Revoy publishes Pepper&Carrot under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). That license lets anyone copy and share the work, including commercially, as long as they credit the author and link the license. Publishers already rely on it: Glénat has published a printed edition in France.
ComicDuo follows the license this way:
- Every episode carries the credit line “Pepper&Carrot by David Revoy, CC BY 4.0, www.peppercarrot.com” inside the file and next to the episode on the shelf.
- Translated episodes keep their translators' credits.
- Each shelf item has a record in ComicDuo's rights log, with its source and license.
ComicDuo is a paid app, so the shelf only uses licenses that allow commercial use. Works under NonCommercial (NC) or NoDerivatives (ND) licenses, which many webcomics use, aren't eligible however popular they are.
The author's request
David Revoy asks that Pepper&Carrot not be used for NFTs or to train AI models. That's a request, not a term of the CC BY license, and ComicDuo honors it: the server that delivers shelf files tells every crawler to stay out, and the terms of use ask readers to respect it too.
Why it doesn't count toward the trial
The trial lets you open five of your own books before buying ComicDuo Pro. Shelf comics are free to everyone, so opening them never uses up a trial book. They stay readable whether or not you buy Pro.
Where the files come from
Shelf files download from cdn.comicduo.app. Before an episode is added, ComicDuo checks the file against a SHA-256 checksum published with the shelf, so a damaged or altered download is rejected. The server keeps only short-lived request logs, described in the privacy policy.
If you hold rights in something on the shelf and believe it shouldn't be there, the DMCA page explains how to reach the designated agent. A removed item disappears from installed apps the next time the shelf refreshes.
Support the artist
Pepper&Carrot is funded by its readers. If you enjoy it, read the rest of the series and find ways to support David Revoy at peppercarrot.com.