Note: As of today, July 5 2003, Iguana's is closed. The owner decided he didn't want to deal with the store anymore, and now it's gone. As more Iowa City landmarks continue to disappear, I hope that the memory of e2 is long enough to remember them far into the future.
Iguana's Comic Book Cafe is a
comic book and
RPG shop in
Iowa City,
Iowa, located near the infamous
Ped Mall across from the main campus of the
Univeristy of Iowa.
The selection of comics isn't as big as that in nearby Daydreams, but it's certainly comparable, and the selection of graphic novels is much better at Iguana's. You can find everything from the all-too popular DC and Marvel stuff, to less mainstream titles like Love and Rockets or Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, to the rather less well known Bitchy Butch: World's Angriest Dyke!.
The collectibles section in this place is pretty intense. They have more damn Beanie Babies than I care to look at, but it keeps most non-geeks busy. They've got a good selection of toys, but not much in the way of sports stuff. They've also become Iowa City's premier Gundam Wing-related merchandise center. If you've ever wanted a $240 Wing Zero from Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, this is the place. You can also get Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards of all sizes and languages in this area, as well as used video games and DVDs
Upstairs, you'll find RPG and more CCG stuff. The Magic and Pokemon singles are up here, as well as Legend of the Five Rings and Mage Knight. The wargames section includes Warhammer and Mordheim. The RPG selection spans stuff from Wizards of the Coast, Steve Jackson Games, White Wolf, and Palladium, but not much in the way of less popular publishers.
The greatest thing about this place is the Lounge. They've got a bunch of tables set up for doing whatever you feel like. They've got a table for wargaming set up with terrain, and a bookcase full of stuff to use. They've got store decks of Magic, and hold tournaments of all kinds up there twice a week. The refreshments are actually pretty well priced, too. All in all, a great place to hang out.