Chad in Amsterdam

Bilyeu’s eclectic debut graphic memoir proves full of thoughtful and introspective vignettes. Raised in Cleveland, Bilyeu came to Amsterdam in 2009 for the weed but stayed for the city’s “palpable” history. He touches on many subjects in Harvey Pekar–inspired asides, each of which is given its own look by a different artist. Styles range from French cartoonist Boyane’s grungy Peter Bagge look to fellow American expat Eryc Why’s crisp precision. Though Amsterdam’s reputation for depravity isn’t central to the narrative, it’s still vividly depicted. Bilyeu alludes to his slides into “escapism” in a city where “your weekends can begin on Wednesday and end on Tuesday,” and in one chapter he interviews an exotic dancer from a strip club front row seat. Dislocation is a theme, from his struggles with the language to his refusal to accept Dutch “propaganda” that their “Black Pete” folk figure isn’t “blatantly racist.” While he satirizes the hedonistic culture, he also pokes fun at himself (in a mock autobiography, he confesses to having “eschewed pursuing girls and playing sports for... the consumption of comic books and Hip-Hop music”). It’s a witty and surprisingly intimate portrait of an artist trying not to be a stranger in a strange land. Agent: Inge Koks, Stichting Publieke Werken. (Apr.)