Liberty

An epic historical adventure revealing a little-known "black ops" chapter of the American Revolution.

The complete graphic novel Liberty! is coming soon in English from Magnetic Press. Previously published in French.

Liberty!

1776: An outnumbered American rebel army defends New York against an overwhelming British naval force. An ocean away, a different kind of rebel, the brilliant French playwright Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais, mounts an incredible secret operation to get desperately needed weapons to the American colonists. A gripping graphic novel by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, with lavish artwork by Etienne Le Roux and Loïc Chevallier. Complete 216-page graphic novel in one volume.

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"A stunning new graphic novel commemorating America's Semiquincentennial is on the way for eager collectors and patriots alike!... Liberty! captures the underrepresented and oftentimes thrilling nuances of what went into winning American Independence, focusing on the secret arms smugglers who helped make it happen."

— ScreenRant

"The book looks beyond the familiar battlefield story of the Revolution to the spies, smugglers, secret agents and civilians who helped keep the rebellion alive when its future was anything but certain."

— Military.com

"Spies during the Revolutionary War? LFGO.... Jordan Mechner has spent decades chasing the same dream that inspired him to create Prince of Persia in 1989: telling cinematic adventure stories. ....Liberty! brings his research-meets-entertainment storyteller brain to the timely subject of America's fight for independence."

— Polygon

"Whether readers know Jordan Mechner through Prince of Persia, The Last Express, or his recent graphic novel work, Liberty represents another ambitious chapter in a career defined by compelling stories about people confronting impossible odds."

— AIPT

"Liberty! marks a striking new chapter for creator Jordan Mechner, a storyteller whose work has shaped how generations experience narrative—whether through the rotoscoped elegance of Prince of Persia, the real‑time tension of The Last Express, or the deeply personal graphic memoir Replay. With Liberty!, Mechner returns to the comics page with an international art team to create a political thriller that feels both timeless and urgently relevant. The book's blend of historical resonance, human vulnerability, and systemic pressure showcases a creator who understands how to make a world feel alive—whether it's rendered in pixels or ink."

— Geek Vibes Nation

"Jordan Mechner… is shining a light on the unsung heroes of the war effort…. Each page is also filled with gorgeous artwork that's highly detailed and evokes classic artistic depictions of the era."

— Collider

"A sweeping, historical graphic novel."

— Comic Book Club Live

"Liberty! puts words and pictures to the illicit arms shipments that helped America become a country."

— We Are The Mighty

"Liberty! uncovers a hidden chapter of the American Revolution that most readers have never heard of."

— Impulse Gamer

The Struggle for Liberty


If you've read my previous graphic novels, Templar or Monte Cristo (or played The Last Express), you know I love stories of adventure and intrigue set against a backdrop of real historical events. From the moment I learned about this 18th-century "black ops" — a little-known and fascinating chapter of the American revolution and of Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais' colorful life, powerfully relevant in light of recent and current events — I knew I had to write it.

The odd-couple pairing of bon vivant Beaumarchais (the author of The Marriage of Figaro, whom Voltaire called the wittiest writer in France) and straitlaced Silas Deane (an American secret agent sent to Paris in a classic fish-out-of-water setup) grabbed my imagination. Deane and Beaumarchais have no statues or streets named in their honor. They're unsung heroes of the American revolution. Yet their contribution was critical.

The purpose that brought them together — an underdog struggle by a new nation against a vastly more powerful and better-equipped empire, who sends a huge army to crush resistance and lay waste to their homes and towns rather than accept their right to self-government — resonated with me as an American, a European, and a child of refugees. A true story about a people fighting back more resolutely and effectively than anyone expected, enduring horrific losses, urban warfare and occupation, while sympathetic but self-interested great powers dispassionately calibrate the degree and timing of support to offer, felt especially worth telling in 2023.

With its cast of compelling characters, sweeping scope that blends the personal and epic, and international action spanning two continents and an ocean, LIBERTY found its dream team in Etienne Le Roux, Loïc Chevallier, and Elvire De Cock. Their spectacular illustrations bring 18th-century France and America vividly to life. If you're a fan of history, graphic novels, or entertaining exploits, I hope you'll discover the world of LIBERTY and share the adventure.

Liberty mobile and desktop wallpapers are available to download for free in the Library.

More by Jordan Mechner

Monte Cristo
 

Templar
 

Replay
 

Samak the Ayyar