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

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 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!”

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

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.

The Clark community celebrated the publication of The Iceberg, the college’s annual student comic anthology with stacks of the 2023 issue, chats with industry professionals, and free pizza on November 16 in PUB 161.

The packed room buzzed with excited chatter. Some students munched on pizza. Everyone held the just-released 2023 comic, hot off the press. And it seemed everyone was turning the pages and talking about it.

Keeping the party moving forward were Iceberg faculty advisors Professor Toby Peterson, who teaches English 128, Graphic Fiction Writing, and Professor Grant Hottle, who teaches Art 105, Drawing for Comics.

Students had the opportunity to break into small groups to meet with three comic industry professionals: artist Steve Lieber, artist Jeff Parker, writer David Walker, and editor Diana Schutz.

A student group makes editorial decisions regarding which comics to publish. The 2023 Iceberg features 21 comics by Clark students, including Emily Martinez.

“It’s my first time being published,” Martinez said. “It’s exciting. I feel I’ve accomplished something.”

Martinez, a 2023 Clark graduate, plans to transfer to WSU Vancouver next fall to pursue her goal of becoming a writer.

Kelsie Cannon, also a 2023 Clark graduate, had two comics published in The Iceberg. She plans to transfer to an art school so she can pursue her goal of becoming a storyboard artist.

Even though The Iceberg is only five years old, Peterson said some former students have pursued art careers. One is creating digital art for the video gaming industry.

Peterson described what it’s been like creating comics since the pandemic began. “It’s been an exhalation of pent-up creative energy.”

How to submit comics for publication in The Iceberg:

All Clark students and alumni are eligible to submit their work for publication in The Iceberg. All submissions are done electronically via Submittable.

Photos Clark College/Susan Parrish