History Webcomic / Namesake

''[[http://www.namesakecomic.com/ Namesake]]'' [[FantasyWebcomics fantasy webcomic]] by Megan Lavey-Heaton and Isabelle Melançon, published by Website/{{Hiveworks}} (of which Melançon was a founder).

** This is One's modus operandi for taking control over people in general: step one, steal their name, and then, when they're in a state of absolute shock, offer them a new one under his control as a Writer. Many of the Reapers prefer to go by their numbers or handles instead, because of this. [[spoiler: He nearly gets away with this with Emma, which for various different reasons wouldn't have gone well for ''anyone.'']]

* GoryDiscretionShot: Oh, blood and gore are just fine, don't worry about the stab wounds and arrows poking through bone, but when Emma [[https://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/snack eats a shadow]], the panel cuts away to the horrified reactions of everyone around her.

** We have main character Emma Crewe, the real Emma (SB Emma), Ghost Emma, and her mother, Emma Ramos. [[spoiler:Emma Ramos even says all vorpalsmiths take the name Emma, implying she named her daughter such with the purpose to make her a vorpal smith once.]] Auntie Em later tells the heros about [[her twin Sister, who was also named Emma. The two of them were vorpalsmith trainees]]

** We have main character Emma Crewe, the real Emma (SB Emma), Ghost Emma, and her mother, Emma Ramos. [[spoiler:Emma Ramos even says all vorpalsmiths take the name Emma, implying she named her daughter such with the purpose to make her a vorpal smith once.]]

''[[http://www.namesakecomic.com/ Namesake]]'' is the story of Emma Crewe, a woman who discovers she can visit other worlds. She finds out that these are places she already knows – fantasy and fairy lands made famous through the spoken word, literature and cinema. Her power as a Namesake forces her to act as a protagonist in these familiar stories as she figures out how to get home.

* TheAgeless: It's explained that this is the case for Ozites, but since Dorothies are not born in Oz they will remain externally young but retain a natural human lifespan. At the time of the original Dorothy's death she still appeared young despite actually being very old woman.
** Seems to be the case for people who allow the Shadow to possess them, such as [[spoiler:Ina Liddell and One.]]

* AdaptationExpansion: Oh so much. Namesake was based on an unfinished series of comics (called the "Oziad") posted on the artist's live journal. The Oziad was a parody of The Wizard of Oz, featuring main characters who were [[SelfInsert dopplegangers of the author, her friends]], and the main characters of ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}''. In Namesake, the Oz story is now one part of a journey through a much larger fairytale multiverse; the cast and scope of the story are greatly expanded, original characters have replaced those based on real people and copyrighted characters, and the tone of the story is more serious and far less parodic.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Over thirty. Most can be seen in [[http://fav.me/d5vgjtl this image.]]

* {{Adorkable}}: The Five of Hearts, when he tries [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/the-cake-is-a- to]] [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/so-serious speak]] [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/writah English]].
** Fred at pretty much any moment really.
** Some of Warrick’s more awkward moments occasionally qualify him for this

* LiteraryAgentHypothesis: Lewis Carroll, aka Charles Dodgson, is this for Alice. This is how Writers and Namesakes are related.

* BiTheWay: Much of the cast [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/flame-con as it turns out]]. For most of them it hasn't come up in-comic yet but this includes Warrick, Selva, Bird, Nose, and a few more.

* YuriGenre: Anlise and Renge, which was heavily implied before but confirmed by WordOfGod, which also states that the relationship already existed [[spoiler:pre poppy infection]] and the ramifications will be brought up in-story. Alice Purcell is also StraightGay and Selva (BiTheWay) quite strongly voices a crush on her, [[spoiler:and they eventually get together.]] Alice was also in a relationship with Bird in the past (who is also bi).

* AbuseMistake: A justified one, on the part of both Emma and the (very concerned) concierge she spoke with after Emma [[spoiler:woke up in a hotel she didn't recognize with ripped clothing, a note thanking her for a fun night, and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia ''no'' memory of how she got there.]]]]

* OurGhostsAreDifferent: The weird female figure that seems to be following Emma thru Oz is referred to in story as a ghost, but so far it's unclear exactly what it is, though it's briefly implied to be [[spoiler:Dorothy, as in the original]].

* SheIsTheKing: Even though she's a woman, Renge's official title is still The Wizard of Oz, but another character [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/where-is-it does refer to her as a "Witch"]], suggesting a Type II, but it's also implied that the "Wizard" title refers to her being the successor of the original, who was a man, rather than her gender, making it a Type III.

* SuperpowerLottery: Emma won the jackpot. [[spoiler: Emma is not only a namesake, she's a skeleton key, has writer powers, may also have muse powers, and maybe also vorpalsmith powers.]]
* ThinkingUpPortals: Though namesakes have portals, most of them actually don't have this power, having lost it after completing their mission. Alice Purcell does still have portal powers, and uses them often (even to get a cup of coffee). Being a [[spoiler:Skeleton Key, Emma has this power too.]]

->''Oz? Like Australia? Wait...the road is yellow. Oh HELL no.''

* CurseCutShort: After being restrained by a card soldier, Ben is none-too-happy with an apologetic Jack.

%%* MrFanservice: Jack and Warrick, anyone?

* TheEveryman : The main character, Emma, is a milder version of this. She's a quiet introvert who gets thrust into a situation that gets her in way over her head.

* MindControl: The poppies do this. [[spoiler:Writers have this power over Namesakes.]]

** We have main character Emma Crewe, the real Emma (SB Emma), Ghost Emma, and her mother, Emma Ramos. E. Ramos even says all vorpalsmiths take the name Emma.

** [[spoiler: “Without those stories, you're nothing but a ghost. My ghost. The ghost of Emma Crewe. The one they call ‘Sleeping Beauty’.”]]

* YuriGenre: Anlise and Renge, which was heavily implied before but confirmed by WordOfGod, which also states that the relationship already existed [[spoiler:pre poppy infection]] and the ramifications will be brought up in story. Alice Purcell is also StraightGay and Selva (BiTheWay) quite strongly voices a crush on her to Elaine and Emma, and they eventually get together. Alice was also in a relationship with Bird in the past (who is also bi).

* ShipTease: There's been some slight moments between Emma/Warrick, and Elain/Fred, but the 2015 [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/be-our-valentine/ Valentine's day cards]] plays it up more, and teases a pairing that has hardly interacted with each other yet, Alice/Selva. Later strips [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/happy-to-help/ confirm]] that Selva has a ''big'' crush on Alice.

* UltimateBlacksmith: Vorpalsmiths, who work with the very valuble metal. [[spoiler:Emma Ramos is the current one.]]

* LiteraryAgentHypothesis: Lewis Carroll, aka Charles Dodgson, is this for Alice. This is how Writes and Namesakes are related.

* MrFanservice: Jack and Warrick, anyone?
** And Ben. If you like geeks.

* ExpositionDump: Chapter 24 finally explains what's going on and why, both regarding the Earth and on the cosmic scale. Chapter 20's [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/namesake-relationship-chart relationship chart]] is also quite handy.

* ScheduleSlip: Averted. This webcomic updates on time with some page or art, every time. And the art quality is always great.

* StatuesqueStunner: Penta, how is a head taller than her husband, Jack.

* AndIMustScream: Selva, The Wicked Witch of the East, turned the Munchkin King into a hat box, [[spoiler:and Selva herself is turned into a purse]]. Later subverted when [[spoiler:Warrick says she's only still a purse because she wants to be and is just sulking. She changes back once he apologizes]].

* ArtEvolution : Pointed out frequently by the artist herself. As is the case with most webcomics, the art is always evolving for the better.

* BiTheWay: The much of the cast [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/flame-con as it turns out]]. For most of them it hasn't come up in-comic yet.

* AbuseMistake: On the part of both Emma and the (very concerned) concierge she spoke with after Emma [[spoiler:woke up in a hotel she didn't recognize with ripped clothing, a note thanking her for a fun night, and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia ''no'' memory of how she got there.]]]]

* AliceAllusion

* BiTheWay: The majority of the main cast [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/flame-con as it turns out]]. For most of them it hasn't come up in-comic yet.

* LiteraryAgentHypothesis: Lewis Carroll, aka Charles Dodgson, is this for Alice.

* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Jack.
** And the Djinn and Thunderdell. [[spoiler:YMMV with Nose.]]
* LooseCanon: The creators have stated that their Oz only follows that of Baum's first six books. Anything seventh book and onwards is basically cut-and-paste/mix-and-match. For example, [[spoiler: [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/the-maiden the Tin Man and Nimmee Ammee got married in Namesake.]]]]

** Warrick is derived from Warwick, which means "dam" or "weir". Considering the type of powers he has, it works.

** Emma means "whole" or "universal" which, given her apparent status as [[spoiler:a "Skeleton Key" who can [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/find-someone-else/ move between all linked worlds]], certainly fits]].
* MindControl: The poppies do this.[[spoiler:Writers have this power over Namesakes.]]
* MissingMom: There's no sign of Emma and Elaine's mother in the present day, though there's a photo of [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/so-serious/ Emma holding a baby Elaine]] along with Ben's comment that Emma has always been very serious. On [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/fragments-of-memory/ this]] page we get a memory of young Emma yelling for her mother. In [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/emma-and-her-father/ the next]] we see a family portrait including her mother in the background, and when her father brings her up to Emma she [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/find-someone-else/ starts]] to refer to her as a "bitch", [[CurseCutShort but gets cut off]] before she can finish. And it's been [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/the-skeleton-key/ confirmed]] that [[spoiler:her mother was a Namesake too]].

* MoveAlongNothingToSeeHere: "Time for my best shocked bystander face."

* RedRightHand: Jack has a literal red right hand.

* ScheduleSlip: Averted. This webcomic updates on time. EVERY TIME. And the art quality is always great.

* StatuesqueStunner: Penta.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: "It's not my fault! Well, most of it isn't my fault. Besides, you don't even know what happened yet."

* {{Yuri Genre}}: Anlise and Renge, which was heavily implied before but confirmed by WordOfGod, which also states that the relationship already existed [[spoiler:pre poppy infection]] and the ramifications will be brought up in story. Alice is also StraightGay and Selva quite strongly voices a crush on her to Elaine and Emma, though Selva herself is Bi. Alice was also in a relationship with Bird in the past (Who is also bi)

* {{Adorkable}}: The Five of Hearts, when he tries [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2011/08/27/the-cake-is-a/ to]] [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2011/09/01/so-serious/ speak]] [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2011/10/01/writah/ English]].

* DeathGlare: [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2010/11/20/the-new-girl-2/ Ben and Elaine are more than capable of pulling this off.]]

* EyeScream: [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2010/12/18/wake-up/ This]] page features a character with empty eye sockets.

-->[[[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2012/04/12/sulking/ Five minutes later]]]

* LooseCanon: The creators have stated that their Oz only follows that of Baum's first six books. Anything seventh book and onwards is basically cut-and-paste/mix-and-match. For example, [[spoiler: [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2011/04/21/the-maiden/ the Tin Man and Nimmee Ammee got married in Namesake.]]]]

* MissingMom: There's no sign of Emma and Elaine's mother in the present day, though there's a photo of [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/comic/so-serious/ Emma holding a baby Elaine]] along with Ben's comment that Emma has always been very serious. On [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/fragments-of-memory/ this]] page we get a memory of young Emma yelling for her mother. In [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/emma-and-her-father/ the next]] we see a family portrait including her mother in the background, and when her father brings her up to Emma she[[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/find-someone-else/ starts]] to refer to her as a "bitch", [[CurseCutShort but gets cut off]] before she can finish. And it's been [[http://namesakecomic.com/comic/the-skeleton-key/ confirmed]] that [[spoiler:her mother was a Namesake too]].

* TheOphelia: As of the book 2 intermission, Alice's family believes that she's this, and she herself [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2011/07/30/highly-improper/ doesn't even realize that she's jumped into the pond]].

* RealityWarper: [[spoiler:[[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2011/10/06/the-truth-about-elaine/ Elaine]]]] can do this, [[spoiler: as a "Writer". It's hinted that Alice could do a different sort of something similar to reality-altering, though not under her control.]]

* ShoutOut: In the [[WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Christmas]] [[http://www.namesakecomic.com/2010/12/25/its-a-good-idea-really-2/ strip]].

** "Banshee... you... you're [[spoiler: not a Ripper anymore]]?" "[[spoiler: Never was.]]"