Among the things Tenney, who confesses he's never been much of a Superman fan, feels should be done away with is the infant orphan element, the childhood on the farm and the fulfillment of a destiny that's been instilled in him practically since birth.
"He's an alien," notes the writer. "Let's treat him like one. Though, when he crashes on Earth in his spacecraft — in Kansas, naturally, helped to safety from the wreckage of his ship by, who else, the Kents — it's not as a mere visitor from another world. It's no accident. He's come with a plea for help."
As the first extraterrestrial life to arrive on earth, Kal-El would ultimately both unite humanity and tear factions of it apart.
"Upon inquiry, we'd learn Kal-El is here to ask our help, instead of the other way around. For he's been sent as a last ditch effort to save his race. Sent on a hope and prayer to rally someone, anyone behind him in order to combat the destruction of Krypton. What Kal-El finds on Earth, however, is no help at all. Humans are without the mastery of inter-galactic space travel. Our technology is not as advanced. And we're just as weak as Kryptonians, weaker even.
"But the more time Kal-El soaks up the sun's yellow rays, the more he begins to feel… different. The more he realizes he doesn't have to answer to us humans. His planet, his species, his life is dying out there. We're of no help; in fact, we're a hindrance. Intolerant. Scared. Uncivilized. Morally weak. Krypton may be at the very brink of its doom, but at least its doom is being wrought by an outside hand. Not from within, like this place, Earth. Kal-El pities us. He should."
With his powers, the scenario continues, Kal-El has a renewed hope for his people and heads into space to try and save them. But the closer he draws to Krypton, the weaker he gets. He's losing his newfound powers.
"Does he continue onward, risking his own death and being completely powerless when he meets the destroyers of his world, or does he turn back and live all-powerful on a world he cares nothing for? He's alone no matter what," says Tenney. "Against all that feels right, Kal-El turns back. To Earth."
Resentful of the world he has been forced to exile himself to, he is truly alone — until reporter Lois Lane enters his life and manages to touch his heart. "And that's never been more important than right now," the writer postulates. "For the same harbingers of cosmic death are heading for Earth next. And just as much as we now need this superman, Lois Lane must find a way to make it clear that he needs us. He needs Earth. And he has the means to fight for it, protect it, save it.
"Kal-El, though at first driven by revenge, begins to slowly see the good in us. Understand our fear a bit better and quell it by personifying strength. Not just in power, but in morality, too. The industrial-military complex run by the fear-driven, conniving, power-hungry Lex Luthor begins to be taken over by the kind, gentle, loving Kent couple who pulled him from his spacecraft upon his first arrival. Kal-El sees he can show us the possibility of good and honor his homeworld's values. His parents' memories, if only to aliens who he's just now learning to love instead of pity.
"And when the destroyer of Krypton is on the brink of destroying yet another planet — ours — Kal-El accepts the mantle of Superman and fights for all of us the world over. For hope and freedom, life and liberty, truth and moral righteousness. Justice supplants revenge.
"And when we look upward from then on, when a spec of something flecks the sky… it's probably just a bird. Then again, it could very well be a plane. But maybe, just maybe, it might be Superman."
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What do you think of Tenney's ideas and, more importantly, what do you feel would be necessary to make Superman connect with a modern audience?