A display system comprising a plurality of display controller circuits controlling a like number of independent segments of pixel drive circuits of a backplane. Each pixel drive circuit comprises a memory element and associated pixel drive circuitry. The segments of the backplane may be organized vertically. The word line for the memory cells of a first segment of pixel drive circuits passes underneath a second segment of pixel drive circuits without directly interacting with the pixel drive circuits of the second segment in order to reach the pixel drive circuits of the first segment. The plurality of display controller circuits operate asynchronously but are kept at the same frame rate by an external signal such as Vsync.