At age seven, Franzi Mechner was torn from his parents while fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria. With his aunt Lisa, he navigated a perilous Europe for three years before their family reunion in 1941. This story becomes the first thread of a rich tapestry in Jordan Mechner's new graphic novel/memoir "Replay", which weaves together the sagas of three generations.
Jordan Mechner is widely recognized as the mind behind the Prince of Persia video game series among others. However, with "Replay", Jordan opens up a different dimension of his legacy by retracing his father's escape from the Nazis, his grandfather's refugee life in Cuba, and his personal challenges and triumphs as a game developer.
His father's and grandfather's experiences, he found, were not just historical episodes but intrinsic to his own creative DNA. Jordan notes that the themes of his games often mirror his family's struggles, transposed into the fantastical. For example, he sees the protagonist of Prince of Persia as a fugitive in strange lands, a subtle reference to his father's plight. Similarly, the setting of The Last Express resonates with his European roots, echoing his aunt and father's real-life train journey from 1938.
Prior to "Replay", Jordan shared the development stories of Karateka and Prince of Persia through journal entries, as well as a partnership with Digital Eclipse in crafting an interactive documentary. However, "Replay" promises a deeper dive, offering fans the human context around the names and narratives presented in his earlier works. As Jordan conveys the backstory of his family, the journey behind the video games gains a newfound depth and resonance.
A meticulous tradition of journaling within the Mechner family aided Jordan in his endeavor to tell their stories. His grandfather wrote an autobiography in retirement, and family keepsakes such as photos and letters shed light on life in Cuba. Jordan was thus armed to intertwine these stories, each focusing on a pivotal journey.
In "Replay", Jordan's own story begins with a relocation to France to kickstart a new Prince of Persia game amid marital difficulties. This personal moment parallels his family's desperate flight from Austria, underlining the theme of family separation and endurance in different eras and contexts.
Jordan had long envisioned the family tales as a graphic novel, inspired by luminaries like Will Eisner and Art Spiegelman. Initially doubting his drawing abilities, he considered collaborating with a professional artist. However, after years of honing his skills through sketching and drawing, Jordan realized that his intimate connection to the material positioned him as the only suitable illustrator for this deeply personal project.
The integration of various elements from his family's history into a single narrative initially posed a challenge for Jordan. The disparities in the nature of the experiences—his family's life-threatening escapes compared to his career in video games—made it difficult to find common ground. Yet, he realized that the story of his family's survival was the canvas on which his own tale as a game designer was painted.
Regarding his involvement with Prince of Persia, Jordan remains open to future projects but emphasizes a desire for a more active role in development. As for collaborations, like with Digital Eclipse, Jordan appears willing as long as the team's voices are adequately represented.
"Replay" is thus not just a retelling; it's an exploration of inherited resilience, creativity, and the ways in which our past can transform our present. It's now available for readers who want to delve into the blend of history and imagination that inspires Jordan Mechner's celebrated contributions to video games and beyond.
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