Interview: Artist Ype Driessen Explores ‘The Last Gay Man On Earth’

You may have caught my recent review of The Last Gay Man on Earth by Ype Driessen. This piece is lighthearted and straightforward, while still being thought provoking and having the gumption to view and discuss some very important personal feelings many of us go through. Inspired by the writing style, medium, and story choice. I reached out in hopes to delve further into the mind of the man himself, and was luckily allotted the opportunity. 

Jude Locke: When did you start The Last Gay Man on Earth? How long would you say the writing process took from conception to completion?

Ype Driessen: It took three years from the first idea until publication. I took the photos over the course of a year. That was a bit of a mistake, because in the book only a week passes. So I had to have my hair cut all the time, I had to wait for trees to be back in bloom, stuff like that. I finished shooting just before Covid, so I was really lucky it was all in the can.

Locke: What has this publishing process been like? How long did it take you to get The Last Gay Man on Earth published? 

Driessen: I found a publisher in the Netherlands early on, on the strength of the storyboard. It was good to have that backing while making the book. A French edition was published last fall. 

Now I’m really excited to be published by Street Noise in the US, because I share their values and they really get the book

Locke: Tell me about Chupi. A work of fiction for the book, an actual roomba your partner pack-bonded with, or something else? 

Driessen: Chupi was our actual roomba. When you see a roomba moving around your house, it’s easy to think of it as a pet or as having a personality. You become attached to it. So for this chapter in the book, I elaborated on that. Sadly, Chupi didn’t survive the shoot in the desert. We still keep him, but he’s retired now. 

Locke: What is your writing process like? Any particular rituals, locations, or preferred tea?

Driessen: First I make a storyboard. I like to do that in a quiet bar, with a soy latte. Photoshoots can be anywhere, whatever the script requires. And then the last step is putting it all together. I do that at home or in my work space, sometimes until late at night, listening to electronic pop music.

Locke: What’s one thing someone’s told you, or a piece of advice that you’d give to other comics, writers, or creatives?

Driessen: In the book there’s a little devil and angel constantly pestering me and cheering me on. When you’re a creative, it’s normal to have these conflicting voices in your head. The trick is not to give them too much attention. Just finish what you set out to do.

Locke: What do you hope a reader takes away from your work?

Driessen: I like to leave that up to the reader.

Locke: Do you have anything in the works you can speak on, or what is your next big goal?

Driessen: I’m currently writing a novel (in Dutch). After that I want to make another photographic novel. In the meantime, I publish short photo comics about my every day life on photocomics.me and instagram/photocomics.me 

Locke: Anything else you’d like to add?

Driessen: I hope more people will start making photo comics. Anyone can do it, it’s fun and I’d like to read what other people will come up with!

I’d like to thank Ype for speaking with me on his book, and recommend everyone give it a read. I love being able to speak with creatives about their process, especially when I feel the content hits close to home. Check out Ype’s work at the links above, or grab The Last Gay Man on Earth ‘s English publication now for pre-order at Street Noise Books.