Bored Panda reached out to Jenkins, the elusive and talented artist behind "The Jenkins Comics," a series that has captured the hearts of many with its quirky humor and unexpected twists.
Starting off, the artist expressed gratitude for the exposure his work received through Bored Panda, stating, "I’m glad to see people sharing my work." He acknowledged the importance of media in reaching potential fans who might enjoy his comics but haven't discovered them yet. Jenkins also mentioned an interest in hearing writers' insights on his work, although he primarily values that people enjoy his comics for what they are.
The artist emphasized the significant role of reader preferences in his creative process. Jenkins aims to create content that resonates with his audience, saying, "I stay pretty conscious of what readers will find funny." He works to ensure his comics are engaging and relatable, avoiding overly niche or complicated jokes that might not have broad appeal. Reader enthusiasm serves as a motivational factor, though Jenkins remarked he would continue creating comics even without a readership, highlighting his passion for storytelling.
When asked if his real-life persona matches the fun depicted in his comics, Jenkins humorously denied, admitting, "I would never end a sentence with an exclamation mark in real life." This response sheds light on the distinction between the creator's personal demeanor and the lively, exaggerated humor present in "The Jenkins Comics."
Jenkins revealed the Jenkins brothers were conceived when he was just 13, with their personalities initially rooted in generic archetypes that evolved over time through the comics.
"The original three Jenkins characters—the Jenkins brothers—were created when I was 13 years old. Their personalities stemmed from generic archetypes, but as I kept writing, they became more fleshed out.
There’s not much to the characters’ development that you don’t see in the comics. Most of the fleshing out of a character is just through writing jokes I think are funny and then inserting existing characters into those jokes.
Strangely, I can’t think of anyone in my daily life who has influenced a Jenkins character. The comic is strangely separated from my daily reality. If I had to put Freud goggles on, I’d say each of the three main Jenkins brothers come from three sects of my own personality.
Oh, wait—there is my smoke-detector-mimicking toddler lawyer neighbor who turned out to be three raccoons in a trenchcoat. I think his name is Jarvis."
