Spock's Beard (trope)

Tropes and genres
Tropes and genres
Related tropes/genres	Long-Haired Spock, Long-Haired Kirk
See also	Blair's Hair, Hutch's Mustache
	Related articles on Fanlore.
	Contents 1 Samples of Some Bearded Fanart; 2 References;

In the Star Trek: TOS series episode, "Mirror, Mirror," the alternate universe Spock has a beard.

Many fans are big fans of the beard. [need a quote or two].

Others are not. "I have never cared much for this episode at all, and after watching it no less than three times yesterday to try to find something positive, I'm afraid I still have it toward the bottom of my list. While I love the look of Kirk in that gold bolero, I don't like the bearded Spock at all. To me, Spock has an almost beautiful face when lighted just right and the facial hair ruins it for me." ^[1]

Samples of Some Bearded Fanart

dated 1980, published in The Other Side of Paradise #8 in 1987, the artist is Signe Landon
from Within the Mirror #4, artist is Chris Soto
from Within the Mirror #5, artist is Kay Wells
from Within the Mirror #2, artist is Chris Soto --"Spock gazes out from a shadow, inscrutably, thinking about what? Fantastic!" ^[2]
a rare gen example from The True Accord of Well-Tuned Sounds, artist is Lois Rasmussen
from Within the Mirror #7, artist is Chris Soto
from Mirror Antecedents #2, artist is Suzan Lovett
from As I Do Thee #11, artist is Dragon
from Living in Spite of Logic, artist is Fiona Graves (a somewhat rare example of some gen Mirror Universe art)
from The Bloodstone, artist is Merle Decker -- "The cover alone is worth the price." ^[3]
from KSX #2, artist is Caren Parnes (a rare example of some Trek/Blake's 7 art)
from Transition, artist is Beverly Zuk (portrays a rare example of non-Mirror Universe Spock with a beard)
from K/S Tonight #2, artist is B.P. Gordon
from Within the Mirror #11, artist is Chris Soto -- ""Oh, boy, oh, boy! to borrow one of my publishing partner's favorite phrases. What a picture. Even though the mirror guys don't stir my blood like the real universe Jim and Spock do, I'd have to be a stone not to respond to this picture. Mirror Spock is kneeling before mirror Kirk, his head turned to the side and pressed against Kirk's chest, his eyes closed. Kirk is standing, his upper torso curved over Spock as if in protection, or perhaps adoration. It's a very quiet moment. The fingers of his right hand can just be seen delicately touching the back of Spock's neck. Lots of wonderful feeling in this one. I think the technique used here is stipple, which is using very small dots throughout. Except for the beard and hair, that's what Chris did here, and I'm amazed. To be able to convey so much just from the careful placement of dots. My only complaint would be that Spock's upper right arm is too massive. But Kirk's musculature appears to be just right. I've tried to blot out the beard with my fingers, and I like the picture even better that way. Chris, what do you say to an eraser..." ^[4]
from Within the Mirror #13, artist is G.E. Mills --"G.E. Mills did the chiaroscuro covers to WITHIN THE MIRROR 13. I wouldn't have been able to use the correct term except that Robin Hood mentions it in the editorial as a style that Vel Jeager used to use. Yes, I remember Vel as I normally liked her artwork a lot. We have a mirror Spock on the front and a mirror Kirk on the back. If you've forgotten what that term means, it means "the use of light and shade in pictorial representation." In other words, the picture is more blocks of black and white a s opposed to actual line details and/or shading. My only complaint would be I see no reason for the pictures not to be cropped and presented vertically instead of horizontally. I have a personal aversion to horizontal covers, and especially so when it's unnecessary. These covers are the only art in the zine." ^[5]