Further Down the Facial Hair Rabbit Hole?

Ho-ho-ho!?

Despite the apparent popularity of growing a beard during the month of November, the availability of hair care products designed for facial hair remains limited. (online they are plentiful, but I remain, for now, a like-to-hold-it-in-hands-before-purchase kind of shopper.) While I have been allowing my untamed facial hair to grow unchecked for periods of time ranging from one month to several months on-and-off for almost ten years now, I have rarely used any care products specifically designed for use with facial hair. (I have done some research though, most notably reading Jack Passion's Facial Hair Handbook, )

Thanks, Mom.

Occasionally I'll consider taking the beard-thing to the next level, and falling down the competitive bearding rabbit hole. This daydreaming is also usually not met with affection by my wife. Just the other day, I wondered aloud where one might buy beard-care products like moustache wax. Her response? "You go into the bathroom and shave it off!"

Even if I were inclined to buy specialized products, finding any for purchase at my neighborhood supermarket or convenience store would be near impossible. Twenty years ago, I vaguely recall using moustache (or "mustache" as is the more common spelling) wax to handlebar up a 'stache I was sporting. Wa-a-ay back then, the product (which I have zero idea where I obtained it from) came in a cylindrical tube much like lip balm. This past weekend while visiting with my mother, she inquired if I had been styling my beard with wax, and when I suggested that I might like to but didn't know where to buy it from, she suggested a local beauty supply shop. By the next day, my mother had stopped by to a shop and picked up a small tube of  Clubman Moustache Wax for me.

Before "waxing" (top)
and after. 

Ironically, it is during these moments when I begin to consider embracing the idea of the maintenance and appearance of my facial hair, that I wake up with the urge to roll out of bed, walk into the bathroom, and follow through with my wife's suggestion of buzzing the entire thing off. Invariably though, this act of initiating the "period when man with a beard shaves it off," is soon followed by, as famously suggested by Jean Cocteau, the wait to "return headlong to my [his] beard."

So what impact did using the wax have? Application was pretty simple, though I did watch a few Youtube videos illustrating just how to do so correctly. The overall impact was perhaps not noticeable by the casual observer, (see before and after pic to the right), but it did provide some lift to an otherwise unruly (and saggy) upper lip. The wax did help tame odd out-of-place hairs, as well as to provide some better overall structure for the 'stache. My beard is still in the early stages of growth (especially as compared to some of the magnificent examples I've come across online), so it's awkward look can not be avoided. In some ways, I have thus far cultivated the facial equivalent to a mullet: all business above the lip and a hillbilly party below.

With the questions of whether or not I am participating in No Shave November soon to be in the rare view mirror, and the queries about my status as a department store Santa soon to be oncoming, for today, at least I look forward to continuing to roll with the beard. That is, until I tire of it, shave and patiently await the next opportunity to return head long to my bearded state.

Comic Book Beard: DC's Starman

Back from the future, bearded and bugnuts crazy... just how I
like Starman! From writer Geoff Johns and artist
Dale Eaglesham in Justice Society of America #2 (March 2007).

In the comic book universe of DC Comics, there have been many Starmen, but the one I am most familiar with is former Star Boy, Thom Kallor. Thom was part of the Justice Society of America during a fantastic run spanning the latter half of the 2000s, the time during which I followed the teams' adventures through a number of different volumes and line-ups.

From the back up to Magog #1 (2009), by writer Geoff Johns and artists Scott Kolins.

My own understanding of the character is limited to that period, though he does have a much lnger history as a member of the Legion of Superheroes. Fortunately "The Secret Origin of Starman" backup story appeared in the January 2009 one-shot, Kingdom Come Special: Magog #1, to bring readers such as myself up to speed. On a side note, reading back through the previous JSA runs, only makes me miss the inter-generational old school niche it so entertainingly filled before being replaced with Earth 2 as part of DC's ongoing New 52 initiative. But this post is about comic book beards...

Starman being all crazy and what-not, courtesy of writer Geoff Johns and
artist Dale Eaglesham in Justice Society of America #6 (July 2007).

A member of the Legion of Superheroes in the future, Thom was sent back in time for, as Braniac 5 puts it, "one unsettling, but vital task." Unfortunately, while the future, baby-faced Star Boy did make it back to the past, a price was paid. In the process, his brain had been scrambled. Upon removing his mask in the present, it was revealed in the full-page scene at the top of the post, that Starman had somehow grown a beard while on his time trip. Going slightly against type, when Thom did regain his sanity briefly during this run, it was the state of lucidity that troubled him. While the more common comic book trope is for characters to become disheveled (and for men, beared) as his or her super-sanity begins to crumble, Thom avoided shaving as an external manifestation of being coherent, Thom maintained his bearded look for the issues that followed.

I've lost track of Thom Kallor (as well as many DC characters) since the New 52. I do understand though that he is alive and well, though drastically different in his physical characetrization and, sadly, beard-free.

Comic Book Beard: Rick Grimes

Sporting his current comic book "look", The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes
in issue 127, with art by Charlie Adlard.

Electing to write daily posts about comic book characters with beards last November was much more challenging than I had anticipated.  After hitting five characters with varying degrees of recognizability (from DC Comic's Aquaman to Robert Crumb's Mr. Natural) to any but the most dedicated fanboy, things petered out.

From issue #1 of The Walking Dead (2003),
art by Tony Moore.

Rather than taking that as a hint to cease-and-desist, I've once again accepted the challenge to ferret out examples of comic book characters who have jumped headlong into beardedness, this time kicking Novembeard off with a very high Q rating. Though this character originated in Robert Kirtkman's successful comic book, he has reached an even greater degree of popularity on the small screen: Skybound Comics' The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes.

In an interview given by actor Andrew Lincoln prior to the start of the most recent season of AMC's The Walking Dead, the actor responded to a question regarding his character's progression in season five that, “I've been growing my beard. I decided this season we’re gonna need a bigger beard. It’s all about the beard this season. I’m just waiting for them to tell me to stop growing it.”

From The Walking Dead, Volume 7,
trade paperback by Adlard.

Of course, those of us who've been reading Robert Kirkman's comic book for the past 10 years already knew that it has always been about the beard. In fact, Rick's reoccurring facial hair (as illustrated by Tony Moore and especially, Charlie Adlard) can be tracked throughout the comic book series since it's first issue wa-a-a-ay back in 2013.

Issue #1 kicked of with 5 o'clock shadow Rick (above, left), recently awoken from a coma to a zombie apocalypse. Though he has lost the facial hair on occasion, Rick's look has lately evolved and developed into the "crew-cut wearing, thick, hillbilly bearded Rick" that stars in the most recent issues of the comic book. In a slight twist on the standard "character grows a beard when they go nuts" motif, this new Rick is living a fairly well-adjusted existence in as orderly a world as possible (heck, even Carl has achieved a level of normalcy!) given the cannibals, psychopaths and murderous zombies. But we all know that current state of affairs won't last long...

From The Walking Dead, Volume 12, trade paperback with art by Adlard.

As seen in The Walking Dead, Volume 12, even Rick occasionally goes clean shaven.

Of course, the beard is back for the showdown with Neegan in the final installment of
the "All Out War" arc in issue #126

Cha-Cha-Cha-Chia!

Best-selling author Uncle Si!? (1/26/14)

This past Christmas my mother gifted me with a Chia Pet. Not just any old Chia Pet but a Duck Dynasty one. I have only seen about 5 minutes of Duck Dynasty (which was more than enough to determine I need never watch it again) but my mother thought I might think it was funny to have one as I have a beard. I'm not very familiar with the "cast" of Duck Dynasty but I'm fairly certain this is not the one who caught heat for insensitive comments in a recent interview. Believe it or not (and I really have a hard time believing it--but props to him), Uncle Si is the best-selling author of the book Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty's Favorite Uncle.

I have wanted a Chia Pet since I was a child and this wintry afternoon seems like as good a one as any to embark on my Chia-dventure (like Uncle Si, I too like puns)!

Step 1a. "Soak your Chia Planter in water for 1 hour." (1/26/14)

Step 1b. Leave it there for 1 hour. (1/26/14)

"Step 3. Fill Chia Planter with water and place in drip tray provided." (1/26/14)

"Apply seed mixture to the grooved surfaces of your planter..." (1/26/14)

I am a little hesitant to predict the "lush coat" promised in Step 6, and am really crossing my fingers that this afternoon project yields better results than the ill-fated Sea Monkeys farm back in 1976. I will definitely share Chia Si's progress one way or another...

Comic Book Beard: Fantastic Four's Reed Richards?!?

Beard + long, unkempt hair + torn uniform = Bearded Reed!

In the past, I've mentioned that Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, was one character I have dressed up as in the past, and lamented that he did not have a a beard so I could continue a form of low-budget cosplay--I failed to recall the Tom DeFalco scripted and Paul Ryan drawn Fantastic Four run of the mid-1990's. Though not too fondly thought of by fanboys today, I rather enjoyed the run as it was took narrative chances and really played with the explorer/family dynamic of the team. During this time, following a short period being "dead," Reed turned up in the distant past (FF #407) much worse for the experience. The chief indicators of this descent into madness were his long hair, beard, and (naturally) a shattered psyche.

The worst part about Reed's sporting a very fashionable beard is that is appears to be symbolic of the character's emasculation; it is during this series of issues that Mr. Fantastic, mentally weakened from his experience, cedes leadership of the team to the newly independent(ish) Invisible Woman. Issues later, when he finally does shave, his character reverts back to his confident, egotistical, totally in control self. So while Reed does briefly sport a rockin' beard, it does come at a price, his sanity, a startlingly common plot device you'll notice when consistently presented baby-face heroes get hairy in comics.

Can Reed really be expected to build a time machine when he can't even cut his hair?

Comic Book Beard: DC's The Chief

Ready for action (again) in Doom Patrol (Volume 4, #1) by John Byrne.

Justice League:
The Nail (1995)
by Alan Davis.

Justice #1 (2005)
by Doug Braithwaite
and Alex Ross.

You can't keep a good (albeit occasionally psychotic) super hero mastermind down... especially one with as cool a beard as Doctor Niles Caulder, more affectionately known as "The Chief." Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Chief's bearededness is that it is part of his consistent characterization since the teams beginnings. The Chief, along with the group he organized, the Doom Patrol, first appeared in DC Comics' My Greatest Adventure #80 (June 1963). The Doom Patrol has since appeared in multiple incarnations by some of the industry's best talent including Grant Morrison and (a personal all-time fave) John Byrne. All along the way Chief's appearance (other than an occasional shift in age and color from ginger to grey and back) has been the beard--like most instances of facial hair in comic books, his bear has not always been indicative of a transition to "craziness," but a rather a symbolic of his role as the rock of the team. (Note: The Chief has had a descent into madness--but what "hero" hasn't?)

Reaching the comic stands in advance of Marvel Comic's X-Men, Doom Patrol had some conceptual similarities with Marvel's X-team from the onset, the most obvious being that both the Chief and X-Men's Charles Xavier, were wheelchair bound "big brains."  Though Professor X was bald and a mutant psychic, the Chief was gifted with a genius-level intellect crowned by a fantastic head of hair and matching beard. The Chief motivated the original Doom Patrol, misfits who's individual circumstances made them bitter from being isolated from the world, to use their powers for the greater good. Caulder then used his scientific knowledge to develop numerous inventions and innovations that have made him wealthy.

The Chief Pin-up
by Richard Case.

Doom Patrol (Vol 2) #87
by Tom Taggart.

It is Caulder's genius that allowed the team members to survive (e.g., designing Robotman's body, devising Negative Man's medicated bandages), and helped grant their freakishness and amazing abilities. Much like the appeal of the X-Men, it was their status as outsiders which I found appealing as a young fanboy.

Like many, it was Morrison and Nick Cases' seminal Doom Patrol (Volume 2) run which began with the "Crawling from the Wreckage" storyline starting with issue 19 that really brought me to the team for the long run. Prior to this run, the Chief had always had a level of aloofness about his character, but from that point forward he began a fascinating spiral into straight-up kookiness. Demonstrating the truth in the adage that "nothing gold can stay," eventually this second series came to end. While there have been numerous other attempts by DC at a profitable Doom Patrol series, one has yet to take. Rest assured when they give it another shot (and rumor has it New 52 DP is in the works) the Chief will be front and center.

Source:
Wikipedia: Chief entry

Comic Book Beard: Mighty Samson

Far left: Mighty Samson #2 (1965),
Middle and Far Right: Project Superpowers #4 (2008). 

Finding comic book characters with beards is not as easy as it sounds. In an effort to avoid posting only a variety of poses and iterations of the same two to three characters commonly shown bearded by the Big Two (DC and Marvel), I find myself digging very deeply into my collection (and memory). In addition to simply showcasing a whiskered warrior, it is also an opportunity to revisit some characters of yesteryear who may not get as much recognition on the recent "New Releases" table as he may once have. Take Mighty Samson, for example.

Cover to Project Superpowers #4
(2008) by Alex Ross.

Cover to Mighty Samson #2 (1965),
no art credits given.

Originally created wa-a-a-ay back in 1964 by writer Otto Binder and artist Frank Thorne to be a member of Gold Key Comics stable of characters, my own introduction to Mighty Samson came from the considerably more recent  2007 Dynamite Entertainment series, Project Superpowers. Project Superpowers, from artists Alex Ross, revived many Golden Age comic book characters. The visual design of the character was inspired by the Gold Key Comics version from the mid-Sixties. Less well known than other more iconic Gold Key comic book characters then and now, Mighty Samson's lack of name recognition outside a small group of fans is best attributed to the absence of any licensing featuring him to other media; he has never appeared on television, in theaters, or as an action figure.

A beardless Mighty Samson
attempted a comeback in 2010
lasting 4 issues.

Mighty Samson as rendered
on the cover to SuperPowers:
Meet the Bad Guys #3 (2009)
by Alex Ross.

Despite simplistic "costuming," Mighty Samson has a unique (in comic book terms, anyway) "origin." With no secret identity, Mighty Samson is a direct descendant of the biblical figure. Like his ancestor, Samson had immense strength and endurance, but could lose his powers when his hair was cut. Samson only learned about his heritage when he was a grown man, after his mother revealed his ancestry.

The Project Superpowers character (an amalgam of both Gold Key's and the even older Fox Feature Syndicate version) was the first time he is depicted with a beard. This is an older, more experienced (and completely--not just his left eye--blinded) version of the character who's beard is used to reflect the wizened perspective. As was the case with the majority of Golden Age characters re-introduced to the comic book collector with both SuperPowers' series (as well as one-shots and minis), Mighty Samson was rarely afforded the narrative spotlight but was more often than not used as background fodder. This is not to suggest the characterization was weak, just that here were so many characters vying for time in a book featuring over twenty Golden Age superheroes in any given issue.

As uncommon as unshaven super men are in comic books now, it makes sense that those published during the Golden Age would be even less likely; the negative association attributed to those with beards (as well as the adolescent comic book fans' inability to emulate any whiskered favorite character) would make such a characterization nuance difficult to make profitable. Perhaps someday, as the no-shave aesthetic becomes more mainstream, the comic book world will be ready for the first full bearded superhero!

Quest for Comic Book Beards

The first of November provides me with the quick opportunity to combine two of my favorite "activities" (or activity and non-activity) , collecting comic books and not shaving. With both No Shave November and Movember upon us, it is time to offer tribute to some comic book icons who (despite no longer living in a Sixties day-glow world) currently, or in the past, have rocked facial hair.

Based on this pic, the last 9 years have been
much harder on me than I thought!

My goal, in addition to this quickie intro, is to attempt to identify as many mustachioed or bearded characters from "mainstream" comic books  in my collection. Some choices may be sort of obvious (at least to comic book fans) such as Marvel's Thor or DC's Chief of Doom Patrol. Having never really given it much thought in the past, it occurs to me that there just may be 30 panels with (fairly) significant characters to choose from... though as evidenced by my most of my previous past truncated "count downs," whether I have the time is another matter.

In addition to simply digging through long boxes for epic facial hairiness, I continue my search for an alter-ego. There was a time when I fancied the idea of trying cosplay at comic conventions (very cool, I know), but despite occasionally dressing up in a homemade Mister Fantastic costume for some Halloween 5k fun runs, such as the 2006 Johnny's Run Like Hell (pictured above), I could not commit to a hero/persona because of my disdain for shaving--which often results in an on-again/off-again stated of beardedeness. (Note: In recent years, however, Reed Richards, a.k.a.Mister Fantastic, has been featured with  beard in the "regualr" Marvel comics universe. Let me further refine my previous statement  by suggesting that rather than hoping for an appropriate alter ego, I would like to find an accessible alter ego--is it really an alter ego if no one but the geekiest of fanboys can recognize who one is dressing as... even one as well known as a member of Marvel's First Family?

So it is with my razor firmly secured in the medicine cabinet, and my comic book long boxes at the ready, that I jump into Movember/No Shave November on a quest for Superfriends with a propensity for facial hair...

Comic Book Beard: Marvel Comics' Volstagg

"The Lion of Asgard" kicking butt (or chin) in Thor #608, drawn by Billy Tan and written by  Kieron Gillen.

In an effort to identify a fully bearded mainstream comic book characters who are not completely insane, I had to dig pretty deeply. While rereading Marvel's 2010 "event" miniseries Seige, I came across the ancillary mini-series Siege: Embedded starring a popular, though minor, Thor character. A member of Thor's Warriors Three, Volstagg (also known as Volstagg the Enormous, Volstagg the Voluminous, and the Lion of Asgard), though fun loving, is definitely not depicted as a nut job.

Painted by artist Stephanie Hans,
the cover to Journey Into Mystery #630
proves that even children dig
Volstagg's beard!

Easily recognizable to comic book fans by his large girth and immense red beard, and purple/gold clothing color scheme, in comic books, Volstagg is the most fun loving of the Asgardian trio of heroes known as The Warriors Three. The physical extension of the character's extremely healthy "appetites", Volstagg's girth and hairy countenance is also useful in lulling unsuspecting enemies and villains into a sense of ease, though he is both an Asgardian god and a skilled combatant with a quick wit.

Featured as key minor player in the the 2011 movie Thor, actor Ray Stevenson would appear to have more film time as Volstagg in the upcoming sequel, Thor: The Dark World. At least the inclusion of a character poster promoting the film would leave one to believe that. Immediately following Marvel's event series Seige: Embedded, Volstagg was part of the renamed Thor series Journey Into Mystery (which recently concluded after the Marevl NOW initiative). Issue #630 of Journey Into Mystery, was devoted to his whereabouts in that series during the following year's next event, Fear Itself. (If it seems like there are too many "events" in the Marvel 616 Universe, you are correct!)

Though I have periodically collected Thor comic books, primarily as a youngster during the Walter Simonson-Beta Ray Bill days, I regret that I have not followed the Warriors Three since then. Simonson's (then) definitive run included the Warriors Three to great effect and I recall those issues fondly. As a minor character, Volstagg is not featured enough in a single title that I have been able to plop down my limited comic funds for, but I have enjoyed reading a few books in doing some research on his Marvel character for this post. I also look forward to once again seeing Stevenson take the screen as Volsatgg in Thor: The Dark World later this week.

Actor Ray Stevenson as Volstagg in Thor: The Dark World (2013).

Comic Book Beards: DC Comics' Aquaman

Top: Aquaman (Volume 2, 1991) #1 by Kevin Maguire,
Bottom: Aquaman (Volume 3, 1994) #0 by Martin Egeland.

If one superhero exemplifies the Jean Cocteau quote that "There is always a period when a man with a beard shaves it off. This period does not last. He returns headlong to his beard," it would be DC Comics Aquaman. Following many decades of perceived wimpy-ness (due in large part to his telepathic-fish appearances on Super Friends, the mid-Nineties saw an effort to "toughen" up the character.

Bearded Aquaman (Vol 3) Issue 4
cover by Hellboy
creator Mike Mignola.

To this end, writer Peter David and artist Martin Egeland collaborated on two significant aesthetic changes to the Aquaman character in the first few issues of his solo 1994 comic book series: by the fourth issue Aquaman would both lose his left hand to a school of a piranha and grow a crazy blonde beard. Though the first few images of this premiere issue keep Arthur Curry's (Aquaman's "real" name) countenance in the shadows--it is only in his dream that he is baby-faced--by the ninth page (see below) the new, edgier look is revealed.

As seems to often be the case (see Fantastic Four's Reed Richards, for example), the sudden facial hair growth was used to signal a jarring shift in characterization reflective of Aquaman's then unstable state of mind. Even his sidekick Garth (aka side-kick Aqualad) noted upon the initial reveal of the Aqua-beard that, "You [Aquaman] look like hell." Unlike other characters that have let their hair down (and out) while in reflective states of mind, the newly unkempt Aquaman did not clean himself up after returning to the world following his sojourn at the bottom of the seas.

During the next 20(!) years of continuity, Aquaman would occasionally shave and then re-grow his whiskers, returning headlong to his bearded, fiercer state. This "look" has seems to have settled into a consistently used one as evidenced by its use in Aquaman's recent appearances in Batman: Brave and Bold. Even issue 24 of the current Aquaman series--part of DC's New 52--recently had a previously clean-shaven sea king depicted with trim beard in place intact. In the iconic pantheon of DC characters, where in the past Aquaman's blond hair was perhaps enough to visually differentiate him from more popular heroes such as Superman, or even Batman's alter-ego, Bruce Wayne, the beard effectively points out some key differences. While Superman is an alien, and Wayne a millionaire playboy, Curry is an off-again-on-again King of Atlantis and a warrior to boot.

And who but the most bad-a** underwater super-warriors can stylistically pull off that crazy beard?

From Aquaman (Volume 3) Issue 1 (1994).

Thoughts Going Into Novembeard

With sports beards in the news recently with the Red Sox making their harried run to another World Series appearance, it is no surprise that Boston players and their beards in various stages of "development" were recently featured in an online article entitled A Six Stage Manual For Growing Out Your Face Pubes This Coming November. Not so sure how much I like the word choice ("pubes"?) but the sentiment is one I can get behind as I am heeding the clarion call to beardedness a few weeks early in an effort to maximize my November. (That there are "purists" out there who suggest it's not No Shave November if you start in October--spare me!)

The blogger with misguided
goatee, circa 1992-ish.

It sure is funny how facial hair, in general, and the month of November have now been married in the cultural zeitgeist in such a way that even the stigma attached to growing a mustache have been given a pass for the sake of a good cause in the form of Movember. Good cause or not, while I applaud those raising funds toward prostate cancer awareness via growing a mustache, I will donate my funds and defy the rules which strictly prohibit the "joining of the mo to your sideburns" as that makes it a beard. It is just too difficult to grow out "the mo." Given my poorly executed attempts at pulling off both a goatee (see pic to left) and an honest-to-goodness mustache (pics have mysteriously disappeared) it is for the best. Though I am sure half the "fun" is growing a crappy looking 'stache, my half-hearted attempt would like just get me followed by police when I walk around my neighborhood.

I will , however embrace the coolness of cultivating a hilly-billie beard... at least until my wife gently suggests that it (and the roughly fifty years a huge white beard adds to my appearance) needs to go. I am committed to the manliness of No Shave November, just not enough to ruin my marriage over. Today, after one week of abstaining from the self-mutilation that is shaving one's face, I am just slightly beyond Stage 1: The “Oh, ya I forgot to shave," or as my wife refers to it, the "You Look Like a Wreck" stage.

An occasional summer beard-wearer (and ultimately, shaver), each time my chin is shorn, I am quickly reminded that Jean Cocteau's related words are more a truism than merely just a clever quote: “There is always a period when a man with a beard shaves it off. This period does not last. He returns headlong to his beard.”

A Nascent Beardsman?

Following a "successful" No Shave November during which I only trimmed 2-3 times (in the interest of neatness), and cleaned up my neck once or twice, I have yet to fully shave. I've also recently begun watching Whisker Wars on IFC and been jesting with my friends and family about training to be a competitive "beardsman." I'm fairly untrained in beard grooming, so unless there is a "hobo beard" category, which according to the "Categories" page on the US Beard Team's website, there is not, I've either got learn to groom, or just go full beard natural or full beard natural with styled moustache.

My dog, my beard, and I.

As a professional, and with a wife who definitely is not that supportive of this possibility, neither is really as neat and cared for in appearance as either of the other possible options: the Garibaldi (a wide, full beard with a rounded bottom and integrated mustache) or Verdi  (a short, full beard with rounded bottom accompanied by a prominent mustache). Both the Garibaldi and the Verdi have length limitations (one's Garibaldi may not exceed V 10cm in length, while a Verdi is not to be longer than 10 cm) and, at least in the case of the Verdi, one may use "aids" such as moustache wax, for grooming. The moustache of a Garibaldi is not be integrated into the rest of the beard, so one can reasonably assume that some grooming might be necessary.

Seeking information about proper care and grooming, a quick online search on grooming led me to two resources, GC's The Modern Man's Guide to Beards and Jack Passion's book, The Facial Hair Handbook. Having previously read and reviewed (sort of) Passion's treatise, a quick review of GC's offerings only reinforced how incredibly well thought out Passion's book is, especially (for my purposes) the "Technique" chapter with a little part entitled "Shaping and Sculpting."

I would reckon that for now the goal would be to maintain my health, and the health of my beard, and let it continue to grow out a much more. In the meantime, I can continue to read up on the subject, enjoy following Passion's exploits on Whisker Wars, and resist my wife's occasional request to "shave it off."

Comic Book Beard: Superman

The Adventures of Superman #455 (1987) by Jerry Ordway and Dan Jurgens.

It was not the first or last time that Superman sported a beard in comics, but it was among my favorite runs in modern Superman Comics. So this edition of No Shave November Comic Book Beards allows me to reflect briefly on Supes circa 1987, while honoring the superest beard of them all...

From Superman (Vol 2) #32 (1987),
story by Roger Stern with
art by Kerry Gammill and Dennis Janke.

Though it had been previously established (thanks to Jim Croce) that one should definitely not tug on Superman's cape, there was also a brief moment in time when pulling on his whiskers would be a social faux pax, too. During my senior year in high school, the unimaginable occurred in the pages of all three Superman comics published by DC at the time (Superman, The Adventures of Superman and Action Comics) when Kal-El, while on a self-imposed exile in outer space, let his hippie flag fly and grew a beard.

I miss this Superman, the one brought to life by the writing of Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern and others. A Superman who felt such an intense responsibility to humanity that he left Earth rather than stay due to the risk his own inner turmoil created. Upon leaving his adopted home planet, Kal-El found more adventure and action among the stars, first, battling on Mongul's War World and later getting further in touch with his Kryptonian roots by meeting the Cleric and finding the Eradicator. Sooo many seeds for great stories that followed were sewn in these issues.

Interestingly, Superman's beard runs contrary to many comic book facial hair growth in that his does not represent a descent into madness, but rather a return to clarity. The events leading up to his exile were initiated when Superman made the conscious choice, for the first and only time, to kill (by exposing three Kryptonian villains who had threatened to destroy our Earth after eliminating one from a pocket universe to Kryptonite). These events of John Byrne's classic Superman #22 (1987) led to schism his psyche resulting in the development of a second heroic persona. Ultimately, Supes left and found himself... and embraced his hairier side.

Upon returning to Earth he returned to his clean shaving ways, but at least we'll always have War World.

Read It: The Facial Hair Handbook

With my days as a "competitive" road racing in the rear view mirror perhaps its time to explore a new arena of competition: competitive bearding. This thought first occurred to me when I was introduced to beard icon (and two-time World Beard Champion) Jack Passion in one segment of Morgan Spurlock's documentary Mansome (2012) on Netflix recently. It was only after it had stopped airing that I came to know about the IFC reality show Whisker Wars in whcih he is prominently featured.

In need of some light reading during my a recent flight west, I picked up Passion's slight tome entitled The Facial Hair Handbook as a means of wiling away an hour or two. While the book does indirectly walk us through he preparations necessary to "compete" at a high level, it does not place us directly in combat with Passion, something Spurlock's film does to moderately entertaining effect. Of course, this facet of Passion's competitive life is at the center of Whisker Wars, so maybe he felt it woudl be redundant.

Self-published by the author, The Facial Hair Handbook runs only 105 pages and offers some basics about simply growing facial hair as well as some finer tips for taking your "game" to the next level. Thus the book's subtitle "Every man's Guide to Growing and Grooming Great Facial Hair." What entertainment that is derived from reading is derived from Passion's anecdotes and witticisms about being a beard icon, as well as his "Laws of Facial Hair," the reason behind which are sprinkled throughout. In many ways, The Facial Hair Handbook is an excellent example of info-tainment, though the intended audience woudl appear to be somewhat limited.

In the introduction to the book, Beard Team USA Captain Phil Olsen presents Passion as the sport of bearding equivalent to Tiger Woods. Passion's bravado and confidence do little to dissuade the reader that he is "all that and a bag of chips." In fact, it would seem that it is Jack's "swagger," mentioned multiple times in reviews and blurbs, that ingratiates him to a world not quite ready to accept this new "sport" as legitimate.

While the grooming tips, product suggestion, and prompts to visit his website [Note: a quick check on 11/9/17 reveals that the site has not been updated in many moons] result in a quick and informative read, the book I really wanted to read was about Passion's travels across the country to bars for small-time contests, and around the planet bringing home the World Championship. This book, taken in concert with the segment from Manscape, hint at what could be an exciting tale I hope Passion elects to one day tell. Based on this book, all that has to happen is for enough buying customers to ask. Though Whisker Wars covers some of that desired ground, Passion is gleefully painted as the "villain" so much of his more extensive journey, I suspect, remains as yet untold.

"I Don't Always Watch Youtube..."

But when I do it's rarely Masterpiece Theater clips (except maybe those featuring Diana Rigg as the hostess).

I also sparingly drink alcohol, and have yet to sample Dos Equis beer (a terribly watery and weak beer if my acquaintances are to be believed), I, like many, find myself at least moderately entertained with the faux over-the-top machismo of "The Most Interesting Man In the World." Surprisingly, the roguish adventures depicted by Jewish-American actor Jonathan Goldsmith, as "The Most Interesting Man In the World," are in fact narrated by a different... uh, man: the exclusive narrator of Public Television’s long-running Frontline, Will Lyman. The commanding, exotic voice, along with the devil-may-care visuals, are part of what make the ad's "Man" among the "World's Most Interesting."

In a recent moment of blind boredom, I found myself watching Dos Equis commercials on YouTube and was tickled to find a few mentions of the one distinguishing feature I share of Goldsmith's hero: a grey(ing) beard. As one who is occasionally "thrown headlong" into beardedness, it is sometimes neat to come across depictions or interpretations of beardedeness in the media. (Clearly, I have A LOT of time to think on ridiculously insignificant--and wholly uninteresting--matters.)

Some of the favorites I did hear (which are also tailor maid for memes and Facebook/Twitter status updates) include:

• "His organ donation card also lists his beard."
• "His razors never get dull."
• "His beard alone has experienced more than a lesser man's entire body."

It is easy to suggest that his elegant bearded facade alone is the key contributor to his claim of being "The Most Interesting Man In the World"...