Héctor Jenz & Bacoa

Hector Jenz is an artist through and through: illustrator, cartoonist, scriptwriter, actor, comedian, videogame developer, and, on top of all that, the creator of @humorjoderhumor.

When we discovered his account, we fell in love with his unique style and sense of humour, so we didn’t hesitate to commission some comic strips from him for our series #bacoastories.

You studied Fine Arts and graduated with honours. Did you always know that the world of art was for you?

Yes. I spent my days drawing what I was watching on TV, but I also learned scenes from television series and movies off by heart and then interpreted them. Or I put the TV on mute and I dubbed the characters improvising. When I had to choose a degree, I said that I wanted to study acting, but I wasn’t allowed, so I went for another thing I was good at, but more out of inertia than as a meditated choice. I went with the flow, but a leopard never changes its spots.

If you could choose any other profession right now, what would it be?

In a parallel world, I am a plastic surgeon. Medicine was my third option after Fine Arts. And I’m not going to lie, sometimes I fantasize about how my life would have been if I had chosen that path. I would still be an artist, but with a scalpel.  And by now I would have a higher purchasing power… similar to the Preysler family, I estimate. Like them, I would also be offering Ferrero Rocher at my gala parties.

Garfield, Mary Poppins, Darth Vader, and Buzz Lightyear. We find all kinds of characters within your universe, what else inspires you to create?

Everyday life. These little things that put a smile on our faces or that irritate us: people who jump the queue at the supermarket, the satisfaction of licking the yoghurt lid, a chocolate filled with overripe cherry and cheap liquor, TV shows about house renovations… In the end, the popular characters I use are just an excuse to say something about our day-to-day life that is familiar and funny.

What would you say are your references in your job?

Pop culture of the 80s, 90s, and early 00s. Then I’ve got a freak version of myself who self-censors regarding manga and anime, because you need to be a really good fan to understand that kind of jokes (although sometimes I can’t help it). To me, Akira Toriyama is God and Dragon Ball my religion. Moreover, as an actor, I watch basically everything that comes out, so cinema and TV series are always present. Regarding the line and colour palette in my humour account, since the beginning I tried to create something unique and different and I think I have, since in some illustration job offers I was surprised to see that they quoted my account as a style reference… When I worked in videogames, I was known for my stylistic versality, but I didn’t have a personal style. Now it might be good or bad, but it’s my style and it can be recognised.

You are a humourist through and through, that’s clear, but what makes you laugh?

Black and absurd humour. I will just say that since I was eight years old my favourite movie has been  “Serial Mom” by John Waters, you know. And something more current, the series “What We Do in the Shadows”, or “Señoras del (h)AMPA” [PTA madams], define what makes me laugh. Anyway, I have to say that some of my comic strips seem to be absurd but sometimes I leave some easter eggs with an extra layer of humour. I get excited when someone DMs me to confirm the dual reading of a comic strip. I have fantastic followers that are in line with my humour and sometimes they give me ideas for the strips.

You are like a Swiss Army Knife: illustrator, cartoonist, scriptwriter, actor, comedian,  etc. In which area are you more comfortable?

Acting. But I can’t stop doing all the rest. There are people who like to go deep in one area and other people who prefer to touch the surface of different areas.  And then there are mad people like me who do both things at a time. Going deep simultaneously in many areas opens up a big world of job opportunities, but you sacrifice hours of sleep, relaxation, leisure, etc. However, more than a Swiss Army Knife, I prefer to think of myself as a Lidl version of Da Vinci. A reduced-price polymath. Transversal knowledge, but with the musical background of a singing TV contest. In The Walking Dead, I think I would stay alive for several seasons since I’ve got many resources.

Any new projects that you want to reveal?

5 years ago, I quit my job as Video Game Artist and I swore I would never go back to that industry. But since loose lips sink ships, in January I am starting as a UI Artist (one of the branches of art and videogame design) for a Swedish company because it’s the only field I haven´t explored before and I like a good challenge. I also have a collection of paintings of traditional mixed technique on its way and I hope they can see the light of day as an exhibition.  Lastly, I have also enrolled on a course of audiovisual direction to see where it takes me. And I’m sure there’s also space for something new still to come.

To wrap up, if today was your last day on Earth, what would you have for your last dinner?

Obviously, I wouldn’t have just one thing, following this Swiss Army Knife approach: from Bacoa one Japonesa, another Manchega, and hummus with corn chips. Then my mums’ homemade pizza, with a surprise combination of ingredients of her choice, and one of her Spanish omelettes. As dessert, persimmon custard, crunchy palm chocolates from all the corners of Spain, and a Casper yoghurt with cherry and coke, which doesn’t exist anymore, but then you shouldn’t have asked!