Kamen America had a lot of talking points that I couldn’t fit on one post.
For this post we’ll be going over its commentary.
Going Against The Trends
This one is a bit of metacommentary that the series revolves around.
Since the first pages, Kamen America says that while it’s great to be progressive, it shouldn’t be aggressive. Figures like Ms. Wormwood and Niro Lansky show just how ugly pushing progressivism can get.
Ms. Wormwood at least tried to advocate for breaking glass ceilings by pushing her students into fields that she thought was best for society. But Ms. Wormwood failed to see that she was forcing her beliefs on people who don’t share them, driving them away in the process. She thought she knew better, joining in a few ambiguous protests, but she was really just taking her anger out on anything that didn’t line up with her world view. She never really made any connections or take personal responsibility for issues that ever affected her.
Lansky on the other hand is pure commentary on commodified progressivism. To oversimplify, it’s where values and things that should be normalized like inclusivity and good will are just trends to make money on. When they don’t match up with Lanky’s company profits, he lashes out and doubles down on removing any threats to those margins. That includes a few dirty tricks like bribing media outlets to make his former client Carly Vanders look bad.
Which brings us to our title character and her supporting cast. Carly Vanders is alright with girls doing traditionally guy stuff like baseball, she just can’t find herself doing that. Meanwhile her role goes even further on the meta-textual level. You see Carly was created as a parody of Carol Danvers, better known as Captain Marvel. Carly’s early career as Warhen makes subtle callouts to Marvel propping up Carol as the new hot topic. But all of this hype starts to diminish return investments. When Lansky suggests some new directions Carly doesn’t like, she quits his company and the Warhen identity. Finally free from that agency, she makes her own path as Kamen America.
Because They Don’t Last
A similar thing happens with Carly’s supporting cast. Her friend Siggy chose not to go to college despite the pressures and instead run his family’s gun store. Misha left her mercenary family to work her dream in fashion. Finally Kimiko found no purpose or pleasure in following her talents in business. Moral of the story, if you’re not doing what inspires you, don’t bother. If you know who and what you are, do it, even if you don’t have high success.
But don’t take it out on others when you think they’re in your way.
The Cost of 15 Minutes of Fame
On a similar note is that drive for fame to make things a little easier. But in this day and age, it’s way too easy to get taken for granted and oversaturated by critics. Sure the townspeople of Carly’s town are definitely grateful for the Kamen Corps. But the clay monster attacks are so common, it’s just a bore to them.
Not helping Carly is how her ex-agency always finds way to put her down on media. Even worse is how Lansky and his business partner bribes the media to do so while propping up their newest asset. Sylvia Prestige as Kamen U.N. is a corporatized knockoff of Kamen America; sanitized to dress more conservatory, being transparent about her identity, and a progressive sounding name with the goal of getting the largest audience. And Sylvia was given the role on the suggestion of Lansky’s secret business partner Vermillion Masquerade to get under Carly’s skin due to their school rivalry.
All of that sounds like outrage marketing to make one side look petty and buying social media ads to build up an echo chamber. All while showing a codependence on who you’re trying to compete with.
What does Sylvia even get out of this besides bragging rights? Basically nothing, Lansky doesn’t bother paying Sylvia’s hospital bills despite the press he builds on her injuries. To Lansky, Sylvia being already rich made her the perfect freelancer.
As for Carly, rather than invoking current trends, she tries to overwork towards her future with her dress designs. But always trying to stay ahead of the curve can be exhausting. Misha looked like she was well on her way to burning out with the all-nighters. And some of these ideas might’ve worked better if they happened sooner, like with Carly and Vicki.
Layman’s terms, letting your choices be determined by someone else is a sure fire way of getting exploited.
Never Fake It To Make It
Which is where Lansky gets his comeuppance. When Vermillion Masquerade exposes her involvement with him by making the clay monsters and the Kamen U.N. suit, Lansky has to use every means available to cover his tracks. Including lying and pushing any and all responsibilities onto everyone else including his business partner.
Only for that same business partner to reveal his true self, forcefully taking over their business after finally having enough of Lansky. With that, Lansky is reduced to the bottom-feeding lacky he always was.
Meanwhile when Sylvia’s shaken out of her delusions, she makes peace with Carly, complete with some commentary on Super Hero legacy mantles. Having someone else wear a familiar costume and name is just a gimmick. Sylvia might’ve worn Carly’s Kamen America mask, but it’s a name Carly made for herself. Having someone else take the name when they don’t have to would just cheapen all of that time and effort building that up. Sylvia has a unique power set and equipment to make a name for herself as Kamen Victory.
As for Carly, her brand is probably the perfect display of the Vocal Minority vs. the Silent Majority. Before Kamen America, she was already a successful dress maker with her classmates all wearing them. Even without awards or recognition, reaching out and interacting with people on a casual level is more important. Unlike Lansky’s business who advertised and bribed their way to success while using outrage to keep propping themselves up. Only to be exposed and discredited as the exploitive frauds they really were.
Always Have A Central Direction
But I think the most important thing about Kamen America is having a central direction. Carly made a devoted following in her niche but she just wasn’t satisfied with it. Before Kamen America, she started to lose her way and burn out. After gaining superpowers she found a way to reinvigorate her passions.
Having a niche is important in the independent world but without something to give it direction, you’re still going to feel lost. And if you need a new direction, let it be one that can coexist with your niche even if it doesn’t complement it.