Why Thorin's Beard Is Short

Now, Richard Armitage said that when the art department/beard designers/so on decided that Thorin would have a short beard, he went looking for an in-universe reason and decided Thorin cut his beard short to honor the Dwarves whose beards were singed when Smaug came and took the Mountain.

However, for all we know that's just Thorin's cover story for that time he really ticked his sister off.

Fili and Kili ended up looking older than I intended, but hopefully it doesn't impact the joke that much. Also I am never, ever drawing Dwalin again because man he is tricky. (Thorin's fabulous Durin hair was the most fun to draw, as usual - Dis's too.) And I did my first digital editing on this piece (beyond rearranging panels). I used the clone tool to color the anvil in the second panel as I hadn't shaded it low enough. A small accomplishment, but fun to me nonetheless.

The characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, movie interpretations to Peter Jackson.