The Naming of Conscience...

[Dave]

I just took a look at Paul's new RedBubble sales page (for iPad and iPhone covers, etc.), and saw something I don't think we've seen before.

One of the pieces of artwork available for these products is Shelly's ensouled-demon-coven Companion... and it's entitled "Conscience".

I think this might be first time that Paul has formally used the name for this character that a lot of us have informally adopted over the past few years. Can't recall whether he described her this way when checking to see whether a sculpture would be popular enough to be fabricated?

In any case - me happy - I really like that name, just as I really like the character. Now I won't have to feel slightly guilty by referring to her that way, or as "Connie". It seems a bit impersonal to refer to her just by title ("Companion") or description ("Creepy little girl").

Now, if RedBubble would just start offering covers for Nexus products... ?

[jwhouk]

Shelly referred to her as "my companion", but she referred to herself as "Conscience." So I'd go with her name as "Conscience."

[Dave]

Shelly referred to her as "my companion", but she referred to herself as "Conscience." So I'd go with her name as "Conscience."

Well... that's how we got here... in-strip, she's never truly been named, either by herself or anyone else. She never referred to herself using "Conscience" as a name... only as a description. She said

"I'm the closest thing this Earth will see to the mythical conscience." and then, a couple of days later, "I already said, I'm your conscience."

That's kinda on a par with "companion" or "protector" or "sister" - it's a noun, not a proper name.

It is, though, the only one of those nouns which does have a tradition of being used as a woman's given name. Like quite a few others in this tradition (e.g. "Faith", "Hope", "Charity") it "names" a virtue.

I guess that's why I like it so much. I love the idea of giving a virtuous name to a spooky entity which (by her own admission) would make most strong men soil their pants just by being in the same room with them.

I think we're in violent agreement, though - "Conscience" she is, according to at least a few of us, and with Paul's apparent blessing.

[DinkyInky]

Now, if RedBubble would just start offering covers for Nexus products... ?

I've got a friend that got a vinyl decal from them, and then put a clear case over it(left it on the backing, and slipped the cover over it), so it's also a way of changing out designs when/if you get bored.