The Iceberg Release Party

Students celebrated the sixth edition of Clark’s annual comic anthology

^{Matt Fraction holds a copy of The Iceberg.}

The Comic Club of Clark College hosted the highly anticipated release party for the sixth edition of The Iceberg annual comic anthology on December 5 in PUB 161. This year’s Iceberg marks the largest and most impressive volume to date, featuring comic stories by about 44 creators. Some creators had submitted multiple works, making this edition a truly collaborative and expansive showcase of talent from students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

The party kicked off with speeches from English professor Tobias Peterson and art professor Grant Hottle. Together, the pair makes a dynamic duo, co-advising The Iceberg. Peterson and Hottle thanked all the creators and members of the Comic Club for their dedication and hard work.

Comic Industry Guests

_{Diana Schultz, retired editor at Dark Horse Comics.}

Then they introduced the four industry comic professionals who joined the event to offer invaluable feedback to the student creators. The industry guests included:

Jeff Parker, artist and writer
Matt Fraction, artist and writer
Diana Schultz, translator and retired editor at Dark Horse Comics
Steve Lieber, artist

During the first hour of the VIP session, these industry professionals gave valuable feedback, offering advice and critique to the contributing creators whose work was published in The Iceberg. By 2:00 p.m. another 20 attendees had joined the event. The industry professionals generously stayed beyond the scheduled end time, offering critique, advice, and encouragement until about 5 p.m., two hours past the event’s expected close.

Producing The Iceberg

_{The Iceberg faculty advisors (left to right) Art Professor Grant Hottle and English Professor Tobi Peterson.}

The release of The Iceberg offers Clark College students a rare opportunity to have their comic work published and reviewed by established professionals. The publishing process follows the academic calendar. We will open for submissions in the winter term. We make decisions and print the book in spring. And then in the fall, we celebrate the book release.

Peterson shared that people in academics still think of comics as kids’ stuff. The reality is that these books are a hybrid form of storytelling that produces beautiful and complex stories that examine what it means to be human.

Professor Peterson said, “I love The Iceberg because it provides a showcase for students’ creativity and passion. The release event is a yearly celebration of why we, as educators, got into this business to begin with!”

_{Steve Lieber, left, meets with a contributor to The Iceberg.}

Speaking about the importance of the release party, Professor Hottle said, “It is a chance for students to showcase their comics. Thanks to the generous support of ASCC, we can have students published and have industry professionals give direct feedback.”

This year’s edition is also special for its perseverance. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, The Iceberg continued to be published, with many students sharing their work and receiving feedback via platforms like Discord.

Being a Contributor

_{Jeff Parker meets with one of the artists featured in this edition of The Iceberg.}

Students Majic and Amelia had their work featured in The Iceberg for the first time. Both said they found the feedback from the professionals to be incredibly beneficial.

Majic, a fine arts major with aspirations in comics, said the anthology offers students a platform to refine their craft. “The Iceberg gives you a taste of what to do in the industry,” Majic noted. “Submitting comics allows you to have industrial professionals critique my work. There were things I was doing that I received help on correcting to make my comic better.”

It’s rewarding for students to see their work in print and enjoyed physically by other people. It also helps us create more work for our portfolios and makes for a great item to leave behind at a job interview.

Contributor Amelia Newbie, Clark College alumni who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in digital technology and culture at WSU Vancouver, said, “Reading, enjoying, and sharing our comics helps us get our work out into the world!”

To find your free copy of the sixth edition of The Iceberg, look for the blue stands around campus to pick your copy up today.

Learn More

For more information on The Iceberg and future events, stay tuned to Clark College’s Fine Arts department.
Comic Club meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Follow us on Instagram: @Clark.Iceberg
Submit your comics for the 2025 Iceberg through May 5, 2025 via Submittable.

Photos submitted by Stephanie Wagner and Bryce Van Patten.