kayay

Vegetarian Chili

2 tbsp olive (or vegetable) oil
1 onion, chopped
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, chopped
1 poblano chili, chopped (or use 1 green bell pepper for reduced heat)
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
2 (14 to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
water
1 tbsp butter (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onions, peppers, garlic, and spices and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add canned tomatoes, beans, salt, and soy sauce. Add enough eater to get the desired consistency. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for half an hour, stirring occasionally. If the chili is too thin, cook uncovered until it’s your preferred consistency.

For additional flavor, stir in the butter. Leave it out for an entirely vegan meal.

For carnivores, brown some meat (cubed steak, ground beef, pork, etc.) first then add vegetables and continue as normal. Adding precooked meat after the vegetables are sautéd or when warming up leftovers also works well.

Suggested garnishes: sour cream, cheddar cheese, scallions, red onion, cilantro, etc.

kayay

Of late I have heard a number of stories about people working for the company on back end deals, where a creator is paid after the comic is published, out of any profits made. If there are no profits, there are no payments. This kind of deal is usually reserved at publishers for creator-owned or creator-participant comics, which doesn’t seem to be the case at Bluewater, and includes ancillary creators such as colourists. […]

The company uses a number of free creators, working for no money at all, seeking exposure, who later wonder if they’ve been taken for a ride – especially if the work never even sees publication.

Many are not willing to speak out in public or even have their names used, as they fear legal or financial penalty. But some feel otherwise. But Hellblazer and Joe The Barbarian artist Sean Gordon Murphy alleges an unpaid $5000 debt from previous work and Alex Amezcua, artist on The 10th Muse (written by Davis) also alleges non payment. In one long running thread, colourist Goran Kostadinoski talks about knowing several Bluewater colourists, but not one who was paid, himself included. And many others chip in with their own similar experiences.[1]

The contracts I’ve seen make it clear, creators will be paid 15% of profits on the book, with increased incentives for higher sales, but the realisation that those profits may be far and few between, at least until trade paperback sales, didn’t seem to sink in. The phrase “work for hire” in the contract may have led people to be believe that they would be paid for that hire. And I can see their point. <[2]

By my count, I now know of EIGHT creators (writers, pencilers and inkers), who have not been paid a single cent for their efforts. I am waiting on word from two others. This is not chump change either, with total estimates easily into the tens of thousands of US dollars.

A few days ago I was forwarded several dozen emails, from multiple sources, validating all manner of gossip and rumors that I had been hearing of for awhile now. […] Tales of his lying outright, with my own eyes now having read numerous self-contradictory emails of his. Tales of Davis specifically targeting rookies, even non-US residents, for easier victimization. Duping earnest artists into contracts where payment is backend, relying on number of copies ultimately sold with the chance to pick up the slack via a later trade collection of the works. Only, he has the oft-employed habit of then reneging on a trade altogether, thereby no longer seeing the need to pay anyone anything. And I know of the freelancers who are managing to get paid, many are getting a good deal less than what was originally agreed. I have read accusations of Darren Davis manipulating, misleading and even threatening his employees. Even charging some of his employed creators for their own comp copies of the books they worked on. [3]