Last Wednesday (June 12th), I was invited back for my millionth time (it seems) to a great store called Limited Edition Comics and Collectibles in Cedar Falls, Iowa to sign autographs and do sketches for their customers. Although I've signed at a few stores over my career (and all great--none were bad experiences whatsoever), I have never made more appearances at one store as I have with Limited Edition. I think it's because I have never seen a store owner quite like Rob Rodgers do so much to promote his guest creators and make them comfortable, but more importantly, I have never seen a store owner do so much and interact with his clientele quite in the way I've seen Rob does with his.

The experience of being in that store (which is also a hair salon, by the way--yep you heard that right; Rob also is a fantastic hair stylist!) is not like any other comic book store I've been to. Rob treats all of his customers like old friends, and all the customers seem to know and treat each other as friends as well. It's not like Best Buy, where you walk in and just mind your own business until you leave the store.

When Rob does store signings, it is kind of like a celebration to add to the customer experience and further bond them as friends and "part of the Limited Edition family."

Anyways, do you know what Rob also had at my signing? He had a chair massage therapist at the store to help customers' aching backs who may be sitting or standing too long while waiting for my slow ass to get to their sketch. I rarely even see this at conventions, let alone store signings!

After an exhausting 12+ hour day signing and sketching non-stop (minus a few bathroom breaks and a quick scarfing-down of a submarine sandwich from the awesome Sub City), I wrapped up the day with an incredible 26 unique commissions for the fans. Interestingly, in the afternoon we were bombarded with tornado warnings and sirens for what seemed like every 5 minutes. What an awesome way to have gone out if it demolished the building.

Here's what I pounded out (gallery below):

You bet your sweet ass I got a chair massage after the marathon! Stupidly, when asked where I wanted the focus on before the massage began, I said (by habit) "neck and shoulders." Why I didn't ask to focus on my drawing hand is baffling. But she knew and worked it over pretty good.

Afterwards, Rob took me and others out to eat at the nearby Buffalo Wild Wings:

Rob Rodgers on the very right, up front. You don't need to see me, I'm the one taking the damn photo.

Anyway, it was a successful signing (as usual)! I just want to thank Rob again for having me, and always doing whatever he can to make his creator guests feel welcome and never leaving the signing regretting the experience. Thanks to my buddy Robb Miller for tagging along to snap behind-the-scenes photos and video (which will be uploaded at a later time), but most importantly for driving while I slept in the car.

If you're a published pro from Marvel or DC Comics who might be passing through the area (Iowa) and is interested in booking a signing at Limited Edition Comics, then please don't hesitate to contact the store for more information, or just simply contact me if you have any questions. You won't regret it.