Things You Want To See With This Reboot That Never Has Been Done Before?

[Alien Anal]

I have a take on Superman that I don't think I have seen before and I believe it allows for a lot of story elements to be told that we haven't had much of in the live action world of Supes.

This is just the beginning as it moves into present and beyond.

This is the story of Superman that's starts in the 1930s all the way to 2030


"Look, Up in the sky!"


At the age of 2, Kal-El, the last son of Krypton, crash landed at the Kent's farm in Smallville, mid 1930s, they adopted and named him Clark.


The Kent's are struggling financially as their farm is not doing so well, as Clark reaches the age of 7 he has the strength of 2 strong men, could keep up with the cars of the time as well as showing a higher than average intelligence.


Clark is home schooled for a while as the Kent's need to teach him how to control his powers and fit in with society.


Clark helps around the farm and due to his speed and strength is able to help Ma and Pa get the farm back into better conditions.


A traveling circus comes to town and as a surprise Ma and Pa take Clark. It's at the circus where Clark for the first time sees a Strong Man in person, Clark is in awe.


As the circus is in town for a few weeks, Clark goes and visits each day where he meets Pete Ross, an orphaned, African American 13 yr old that works for the circus as the elephant handler(2 elephants aka The Wonder Twins), during this time Clark and Pete become friends.


One afternoon while Clark is visiting the circus he spots Pete getting racially discriminated against by The Ringmaster. Clark interrupts and stops The Ringmaster from striking Pete.


The Ringmaster takes interest in Clark's strength and offers him a nice amount of money for a spot in the circus that night.


Clark takes the offer as he is concerned about Pete's safety. Clark returns home and informs Ma an Pa of the offer, he explains the situation and that he promises to not go too far with this strength.


The night of his debut he is informed he will be working along with the strongmen as The Super Boy!. Clark is given weights he could lift with one finger if he was to use his full strength but he plays along to keep his secret and entertain the crowd.


The circus is going to be leaving in a few days and Clark is asked by The Ringmaster if he wants to come along for a few weeks. Clark fears for Pete's safety and takes the offer. Ma and Pa don't agree at first but Clark eventually persuades them and goes along.


The day before Clark is due to leave Ma presents him with a new costume for his show. The classic suit.


During the trip with the circus, Clark and Pete become closer friends. Clark learns that Pete is being forced to work there so they put together a plan for him to run away. They will have the elephants escape at the last show in Metropolis City, allowing time for Pete to escape.


The night of the last show, they put their idea into action but it doesn't go as planned. The Ringmaster catches them just as they unlock the elephants, letting them loose in the circus tent, putting people in danger.


Clark manages to escape and rescue people from the elephants, leaving Pete with The Ringmaster.


Clark manages to get the elephants and people back to safety, he runs back and finds The Ringmaster beating up Pete, The Ringmaster then pulls out a gun and fires at Pete.


Clark moves faster than he has ever before and gets in between Pete and the bullet which ricochets off of his chest towards The Ringmaster, Clark quickly moves and catches the bullet inches from his face, causing The Ringmaster to faint.


Clark and Pete run away from the circus, Pete tells Clark he will live in Metropolis City, Clark hands over the last of his cash he has to Pete and they part ways… for now!


Clark is back in Smallville, his ears are glued to the radio as he listens to the first broadcasting of "War of the World's". His eyes wide with wonder and fear.


10 YEARS LATER - 1948


Clark and Lana are in their final year of school and also working together in a local diner.


Lana is a fast talking country girl who isn't afraid to get dirty, often dressed in overalls and curly red hair, she brings out the fun and daring adventure in Clark.


Pete Ross makes a surprise return to Smallville after returning from war. He has matured a lot since Clark last saw him.


Clark being too young at the time feels guilt for not being able to go to war and help.


Pete tells Clark to not worry and that he is glad he didn't go and that many men didn't come back the same and he would have hated it if that would have happened to Clark.


Clark presents Pete with a newspaper clipping of the arrest of The Ringmaster for illegal activities in the circus.


Clark introduces Lana to Pete and to celebrate his return they go out for a night of bowling and dancing.


The world has changed a lot since Pete's return but some things still remain the same.


While enjoying a night of laughter and memories at bowling, a group of young white men are unhappy with Pete's presence.


Clark, with his recently new power of a stronger sense of hearing, hears their plan to attack Pete when they leave and possibly try to have their way with Lana.


While Clark is taking his turn to bowl he doesn't notice that Pete, now much more mature, has already gone outside to deal with the racists.


Clark runs outside to find one of the men on the ground and another holding Lana back.


Clark steps in front of Pete and tells him it's not worth it, Pete is mad and tells Clark he doesn't run away anymore and that he wants to fight. For the first time Clark can see the effects of the war has had on Pete.


One of the men comes up from behind Pete and Clark and goes to smack Pete with a steel pipe, Clark quickly catches it (slightly bending it) and then pushes the man into a wall, knocking him unconscious.


Pete attacks the other man as Clark goes to help Lana, just before he can get to her, she kicks the man in the crotch. Lana winks at Clark and he nods in approval


After she is freed Clark suggests she drive home as he can hear sirens in the distance.


It's not long after the police arrive, the men try to blame it all on Pete but Clark confronts the police to tell them otherwise. The officers don't care for what Clark has to say and begin to arrest Pete.


Clark kicks the door of the police car causing him and Pete to both be arrested for the night.


In the jail cell Pete breaks down and opens up about his PTSD, Clark comforts him and gives him a shoulder to lean on.


As Pete falls asleep on Clark's shoulder, Clark states into the distance thinking about everything that has heard and happened tonight. His eyes lightly glow red.


10 years later - 1958


Clark is now 27 but could pass for late teens. This is often a joke amongst Lana and Pete.


Pete and Lana are now married with a daughter. They run a successful small business in Smallville.

More to come.

 

[GreenKToo]

This is very personal to me. All these things effect me, my friends, and my family. And you decided to explain to me how the horrors I am watching occur don't matter based on some sort of national pride you really shouldn't share, using the exact same argument that Republicans use to defend even teaching about the horrors of our past, including slavery. That's your choice, and please stop telling me how civil you are, while doing that. Saying those things nicely, make them no better.

If your culture references are going to be... let's say awkward, I'd personally rather you didn't.

Superman is the product of all that is good in his parents. Those that sent him to Earth to save him and those that raised him to be a good person. He reflects the good we can be as human beings, not as "Americans". "The American Way" is pure propaganda. If we simply dive into what that "meant" when it was created, it's an issue. In the current environment, it's arguably a bigger issue, because society is starting to reflect on the problems of nationalism as we are forced to deal with a new wave. The idea that Superman would fly Vietnam, Brazil, Ukraine, etc. and hit them with the, "American Way" is just simply nonsensical imo. Superman's affiliation is to the people of Earth. Not any one nation, and especially not one that doesn't reflect his values of truth, justice and tolerance.

Red Son is a good example of a what if.
What if Kal had crashed in the former soviet union, or China, or nazi Germany?
So yes, his American family raised him with sensible free thinking American ideas.
There is no getting around that. It molded and shaped him into the man he became.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Red Son is a good example of a what if.
What if Kal had crashed in the former soviet union, or China, or nazi Germany?
So yes, his American family raised him with sensible free thinking American ideas.
There is no getting around that. It molded and shaped him into the man he became.

This ignores the Kents as individuals, who preach universal values that have been lacking in most modern societies, including the US.

Let's never forget that Superman was a character created in the year, where a black woman wasn't allowed to sit among the white folk at the Oscars, even as she won the award for best supporting actress. In a movie about the glorious and sad fall of the antebellum south. A lament on the loss of slavery.

Using your example, what if Clark crash landed in a the backyard of a KKK member? Nixon's? Ted Williams? How about one of papa Trump's buildings he wouldn't rent to black folk? All these people who would be considered to encompass of American values and resulted in a vastly different Kal-El. On the same front, what if he would have been raised by Jewish parents in Nazi Germany?

The Kents as a concept stand in direct opposition to the concept of "American values" (which is ever changing, but never short on the bigotry and crushing of the lower classes) and raise Clark as such. Or would you like to imagine Clark as a capitalist?

Also, Mark Millar? Really? The guy who thinks what it means to be Captain America is to be a violent, sexist, jerk. Yeah, he's who I go to for such exploration of ideas. Especially when he talks about of Red Son coming from his time growing up during the Cold War. Because there was definitely no propaganda behind the view of the monolith of Soviet thinking. Even as we watch Ukrainians, former member of the Soviet Union, fight for their lives and freedom right now. As we watch Russians risking their lives by defying their government in protest both in the street and on television. What if Clark landed in one of their backyards?

Why go with Red Son as opposed to say, Watchmen? Another story of a "Superman" arriving in the US by a far better writer?

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

A Superman who’s been convinced by Cat Grant or whoever that he needs to have a social media presence, and do interviews on Jimmy Kimmel.

Clark’s narration.

A Clark who isn’t a supermodel is naturally pretty dorky and simple-minded.

A Lois who’s the complete opposite, and way outta his league under normal circumstances.

More global locations. Show me a montage of Supes’s typical weekend, getting coffee in Nicaragua, stopping by the International Space Station, rescuing skiers in Vancouver, sushi bar in Tokyo for lunch, saving a whale in Australia, helping Jonathan on the farm, etc

 

[Boy Scout]

I’ll go into more detail later, but I learned recently that the Kents weren’t always farmers. They used to be small business owners. In the next reboot, make them exactly that. Let’s move away from the idea that Superman needs to be an All-American farm boy who represents a forgotten/quaint/picture perfect representation of small town values. It’s tired and it holds him back.

From Wikipedia:

"The Superboy stories establish the Kents' backstory. Jonathan, a former race car driver, is a farmer on a farm just outside Smallville. After he and Martha find the toddler Kal-El in his rocket, they take him to the Smallville Orphanage and later formally adopt him, naming him "Clark". They soon discover that Clark possesses a fantastic array of superpowers. Around the time Clark starts school, the Kents sell their farm, and the family moves into Smallville, where they open a general store."

I'd probably trim the fat and establish the Kents as having owned and operated the store their entire adult lives but I'm not inherently against Jonathan and Martha having had other careers before settling down.

Like I said: I'd like to move away from the idea that Superman is an idealized representation of old-fashioned, rural America - but that doesn't mean he can't have come from a modest/working class background. The Kents are still pillars of their community - Smallville is still a small town and their store has serviced the community for generations. Having worked there in his youth, Clark was exposed to the best and worst of what Smallville had to offer: single mothers doing their best to support themselves and their children, young people who view the military as their way out of what they think is a dying town, kind folks who would sooner starve themselves than let their neighbors go a week without toilet paper, meth addicts, bright-eyed idealists who want to invest in Smallville and revitalize the local economy...Clark meets, speaks to, and learns from them all. He's inspired by the everyday heroes who persevere despite the obstacles in their path and feels endless compassion for those who have been let down by the system. It's here that Clark develops a passion for social justice, which will eventually culminate in his life's work - journalism (a way to expose corruption and bring attention to the issues he feels are important) and Superman.

EDIT: As far as villains go, I'd like to see Parasite. On top of having never been used in a film, I think he could work incredibly well as a metaphor for how the rich, ruling class exploits the lower classes to gain power and prestige, often turning working class folks against each other to distract them from the fact that they're being exploited by the same people for the same, selfish reasons. To that end, I imagine Parasite functioning as a tool of Lex Luthor, a rich executive who tricks Rudy Jones into becoming a monster.

And speaking of Lex: although he'd technically be the "Big Bad," I wouldn't want him in the movie for longer than is absolutely necessary. Ideally, he wouldn't even interact with Superman very much (if at all) until the end of the movie, where we get the classic, "I'm watching you Luthor" conversation in Lex's office.

And of course, if we ever get to Zod (which we probably shouldn't), he should function as a critique of the military industrial complex.

 

[Boy Scout]

Give Metropolis some character. I'd like to see it as a retro futuristic city:

Spoiler

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Yeah do for metropolis what Reeves did for gotham. Find real locations that scream metropolis, and cgi what you need to fill in.

 

[Alien Anal]

Look, up in the sky!

I have updated the timeline so you can see where it continues to go. Would love to hear someone's thoughts.

 

[Vaibow]

I have a take on Superman that I don't think I have seen before and I believe it allows for a lot of story elements to be told that we haven't had much of in the live action world of Supes.

This is just the beginning as it moves into present and beyond.

This is the story of Superman that's starts in the 1930s all the way to 2030


"Look, Up in the sky!"


At the age of 2, Kal-El, the last son of Krypton, crash landed at the Kent's farm in Smallville, mid 1930s, they adopted and named him Clark.


The Kent's are struggling financially as their farm is not doing so well, as Clark reaches the age of 7 he has the strength of 2 strong men, could keep up with the cars of the time as well as showing a higher than average intelligence.


Clark is home schooled for a while as the Kent's need to teach him how to control his powers and fit in with society.


Clark helps around the farm and due to his speed and strength is able to help Ma and Pa get the farm back into better conditions.


A traveling circus comes to town and as a surprise Ma and Pa take Clark. It's at the circus where Clark for the first time sees a Strong Man in person, Clark is in awe.


As the circus is in town for a few weeks, Clark goes and visits each day where he meets Pete Ross, an orphaned, African American 13 yr old that works for the circus as the elephant handler(2 elephants aka The Wonder Twins), during this time Clark and Pete become friends.


One afternoon while Clark is visiting the circus he spots Pete getting racially discriminated against by The Ringmaster. Clark interrupts and stops The Ringmaster from striking Pete.


The Ringmaster takes interest in Clark's strength and offers him a nice amount of money for a spot in the circus that night.


Clark takes the offer as he is concerned about Pete's safety. Clark returns home and informs Ma an Pa of the offer, he explains the situation and that he promises to not go too far with this strength.


The night of his debut he is informed he will be working along with the strongmen as The Super Boy!. Clark is given weights he could lift with one finger if he was to use his full strength but he plays along to keep his secret and entertain the crowd.


The circus is going to be leaving in a few days and Clark is asked by The Ringmaster if he wants to come along for a few weeks. Clark fears for Pete's safety and takes the offer. Ma and Pa don't agree at first but Clark eventually persuades them and goes along.


The day before Clark is due to leave Ma presents him with a new costume for his show. The classic suit.


During the trip with the circus, Clark and Pete become closer friends. Clark learns that Pete is being forced to work there so they put together a plan for him to run away. They will have the elephants escape at the last show in Metropolis City, allowing time for Pete to escape.


The night of the last show, they put their idea into action but it doesn't go as planned. The Ringmaster catches them just as they unlock the elephants, letting them loose in the circus tent, putting people in danger.


Clark manages to escape and rescue people from the elephants, leaving Pete with The Ringmaster.


Clark manages to get the elephants and people back to safety, he runs back and finds The Ringmaster beating up Pete, The Ringmaster then pulls out a gun and fires at Pete.


Clark moves faster than he has ever before and gets in between Pete and the bullet which ricochets off of his chest towards The Ringmaster, Clark quickly moves and catches the bullet inches from his face, causing The Ringmaster to faint.


Clark and Pete run away from the circus, Pete tells Clark he will live in Metropolis City, Clark hands over the last of his cash he has to Pete and they part ways… for now!


Clark is back in Smallville, his ears are glued to the radio as he listens to the first broadcasting of "War of the World's". His eyes wide with wonder and fear.


10 YEARS LATER - 1948


Clark and Lana are in their final year of school and also working together in a local diner.


Lana is a fast talking country girl who isn't afraid to get dirty, often dressed in overalls and curly red hair, she brings out the fun and daring adventure in Clark.


Pete Ross makes a surprise return to Smallville after returning from war. He has matured a lot since Clark last saw him.


Clark being too young at the time feels guilt for not being able to go to war and help.


Pete tells Clark to not worry and that he is glad he didn't go and that many men didn't come back the same and he would have hated it if that would have happened to Clark.


Clark presents Pete with a newspaper clipping of the arrest of The Ringmaster for illegal activities in the circus.


Clark introduces Lana to Pete and to celebrate his return they go out for a night of bowling and dancing.


The world has changed a lot since Pete's return but some things still remain the same.


While enjoying a night of laughter and memories at bowling, a group of young white men are unhappy with Pete's presence.


Clark, with his recently new power of a stronger sense of hearing, hears their plan to attack Pete when they leave and possibly try to have their way with Lana.


While Clark is taking his turn to bowl he doesn't notice that Pete, now much more mature, has already gone outside to deal with the racists.


Clark runs outside to find one of the men on the ground and another holding Lana back.


Clark steps in front of Pete and tells him it's not worth it, Pete is mad and tells Clark he doesn't run away anymore and that he wants to fight. For the first time Clark can see the effects of the war has had on Pete.


One of the men comes up from behind Pete and Clark and goes to smack Pete with a steel pipe, Clark quickly catches it (slightly bending it) and then pushes the man into a wall, knocking him unconscious.


Pete attacks the other man as Clark goes to help Lana, just before he can get to her, she kicks the man in the crotch. Lana winks at Clark and he nods in approval


After she is freed Clark suggests she drive home as he can hear sirens in the distance.


It's not long after the police arrive, the men try to blame it all on Pete but Clark confronts the police to tell them otherwise. The officers don't care for what Clark has to say and begin to arrest Pete.


Clark kicks the door of the police car causing him and Pete to both be arrested for the night.


In the jail cell Pete breaks down and opens up about his PTSD, Clark comforts him and gives him a shoulder to lean on.


As Pete falls asleep on Clark's shoulder, Clark states into the distance thinking about everything that has heard and happened tonight. His eyes lightly glow red.


10 years later - 1958


Clark is now 27 but could pass for late teens. This is often a joke amongst Lana and Pete.


Pete and Lana are now married with a daughter. They run a successful small business in Smallville.

More to come.

This is very good.

Red Son is a good example of a what if.
What if Kal had crashed in the former soviet union, or China, or nazi Germany?
So yes, his American family raised him with sensible free thinking American ideas.
There is no getting around that. It molded and shaped him into the man he became.

Be careful, the anti American Americans will be knocking at your door saying it's wrong.

Give Metropolis some character. I'd like to see it as a retro futuristic city:

Spoiler

I find that too much for me, Dubai, Singapore is a happy medium.

 

[flickchick85]

A hybrid of Dubai, Singapore and Toronto is my ideal Metropolis.

 

[Boy Scout]

This is very good.




Be careful, the anti American Americans will be knocking at your door saying it's wrong.



I find that too much for me, Dubai, Singapore is a happy medium.

That’d be fine, but my preference is for a visually distinct, character-in-and-of-itself Metropolis. A hybrid of real life cities is…exactly that. I can get that anywhere.

 

[Vaibow]

A hybrid of Dubai, Singapore and Toronto is my ideal Metropolis.

Yup and it's constantly sunny and a lot of sun rise/set moments...the orange/red sky is a good allegory of sorts for Krypton - it could look really alien.

That’d be fine, but my preference is for a visually distinct, character-in-and-of-itself Metropolis. A hybrid of real life cities is…exactly that. I can get that anywhere.

So you want it to be a retro futuristic city... yet unique to others - which in theory wouldn't make sense - if the concept of the city worked so well, others would follow over time and most cities in this world would be the same - unless it was a concept city, that failed... then rejuvenated by lexcorp or some other Beneficiary, which is fine, but then that lends itself to what Gotham is to most - the Waynes doing their part to rejuvenate it.

I like the idea though that Metropolis - like Dubai, literally grew over night and can be compared to a Silicon Valley, driven by lexcorp.

I think what would be cool and it was a missed opertunity or I guess is still on the table - Metropolis being destroyed by Zod, Kal El using his tech to help rebuild the city - nanotech buildings with kryptionian AI - could be cool to explore that - I can see a metropolis growing with it's superman as they help each other.

 

[Boy Scout]

So you want it to be a retro futuristic city... yet unique to others - which in theory wouldn't make sense - if the concept of the city worked so well, others would follow over time and most cities in this world would be the same

No they wouldn’t? Cities in real life don’t all look the same and I don’t see why fictional cities should play by different rules.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Something that hasn’t been done in a Superman movie before (or at least in the past 30-40 years)? FUN.

I watch the Love & Thunder trailer and it makes me sad that we’ll probably never see a Superman movie like that. One that embraces how much fun and crazy these characters and worlds can be. I know not everyone likes the MCU, and that’s fine. But for me, I would love to see a Superman movie that isn’t concerned about inspiring me or confronting real world issues in some half-a**ed way. I want a Superman movie that’s a thrilling adventure full of likable characters and funny moments. They seem to be able to pull this off with every other comic book character out there, yet Superman always needs to be self-important, super serious and embarrassed of its own source material. I just don’t get it.

 

[Vaibow]

Something that hasn’t been done in a Superman movie before (or at least in the past 30-40 years)? FUN.

I watch the Love & Thunder trailer and it makes me sad that we’ll probably never see a Superman movie like that. One that embraces how much fun and crazy these characters and worlds can be. I know not everyone likes the MCU, and that’s fine. But for me, I would love to see a Superman movie that isn’t concerned about inspiring me or confronting real world issues in some half-a**ed way. I want a Superman movie that’s a thrilling adventure full of likable characters and funny moments. They seem to be able to pull this off with every other comic book character out there, yet Superman always needs to be self-important, super serious and embarrassed of its own source material. I just don’t get it.

Totally... going from Thor: Dark world to the last two, amazing turn around and lets be honest, superman should be light, fun and entertaining... the supporting cast can be a huge influence.

Perry White - Steve Carell
Cat Grant - Anna Kendrick
Jimmy Olsen - Michael Cera

Just those 3 alone can bring great, natural, organic humour to the scene.

 

[GreenKToo]

Be careful, the anti American Americans will be knocking at your door saying it's wrong.

Yeah, I know, but I don't really care.
That's what we need right now. A feel good film that doesn't try to make you feel guilty about your race or your nationality.
Just make a good film without trying to push an agenda or re-imagining a character that has been around longer than most people who are alive.

 

[Boy Scout]

I’m so good on Anna Kendrick and Michael Cera. Put them in a Marvel movie.

 

[C Prometheus]

I actually think the right way to go here is to adapt Superman Smashes The Klan. While I love the comic's setting as a period piece, I do think it's absolutely possible to revamp the story and have it set in the present day.

Additionally, getting more into spoilers, here's a change that could be done on the villain side of things to bolster the scale for something more of a "blockbuster."

Spoiler: Comic Spoilers

Rather than merely have the Klan scientists secretly studying the Kryptonite shrapnel and the Atomic Man, they instead found Brainiac. In this continuity, Brainiac was previously from Krypton too and gaslit the planet as their doom drew closer and closer like in STAS, and is once again manipulating this scientist team both by feeding mixed information on Superman (in order to encourage them making weapons to properly fight Superman) and is also reinforcing their racist beliefs, with a secret masterplan of exploiting the world's social divisions to further divide everyone before striking.

 

[Alien Anal]

Not have Kal-El/Clark always wearing flannel and clothing that is the same color as Superman's suit, like some kind of power ranger. I want to see him dressed casual, hanging around his apartment or home.

 

[Boy Scout]

^ Yes. Also fun, casual uses of his powers. Make being Superman look fun!

 

[Alien Anal]

^ Yes. Also fun, casual uses of his powers. Make being Superman look fun!

Yeh exactly. I want little moments of flight that aren't super heroic but just him enjoying his abilities. Always enjoyed Lois and Clark for that reason, he was always heating up coffee or pushing his glasses down for something else minor. I think one ep he was in his apartment upside down on the ceiling reading a book.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Also, DIALOGUE. For once I would like to see a Superman movie where he actually ****ing talks. We haven’t had that in a long time. He’s not a borderline mute in the comic books, and the movies should reflect that.

 

[Captain Tired]

Lex Luthor's Warsuit. Although personally, I've always felt that the traditional bulky green and purple look was a little overly corny. It just about works in the comics, but I'm not as sure about it retaining that slight credibility in film. I'd prefer it if they were to incorporate the look of Alexander Luthor Jr's (Earth-Three) golden bodysuit. It's much sleeker and befitting of someone who sees himself as being God-like imo.

 

[Boy Scout]

I’ve never liked the power suit myself, but if he has to have it, I like the idea of making it gold instead of green and purple.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

A semi year one story.

it starts in year two but is a recap of year one framed as a Superman for All Season in each season around an investigation of Intergang(Lois) and a union organization attempt(Clark).

Then main villain would be Starro with Intergang filling out the action.

Year One crux is basically the jeans and boots Superman and Clark dealing with the fact things have escalated beyond regular bullets and if he’s actually ready for this or if he’s making things worse. We see him losing Lana and failing to get a job at the Daily Planet.

Starro basically acts a rewind of his first year. And how people see the effect Superman has had from various perspective. Criminal, Lois, Lex, Jimmy, average citizen. This is more of a visually trippy experience like the movie the Cell than a run of the mill flashback story. Starro wants revenge for something Superman did in his first year and is looking for information about how to kill Superman through peoples memories.

No Kryptonite