Starting off The Panel Biter's DC Cinematic Universe we have the movie Pitch-It simply titled, "Superman". A film premise that'd bring The Man of Steel back to his roots and remind audiences of what true heroism is all about. Gather around readers, and allow me to kick this universe off with The World's Greatest Superhero!
Superman has patrolled the city of Metropolis for three years by now, having encounters with monsters, aliens and common criminals, but ever since Superman's battle with the Kryptonian General Zod the American public don't know if an alien hero can be trusted. Knowing this, Lexcorp CEO Lex Luthor has gone to the public outright opposing Superman, seemingly out of concern for Earth, but secretly out of jealously. Meanwhile, Private John Corben of the U.S. Marine Corps (and avid Superman fan) nearly dies in Iraq after jumping on an active grenade to protect his fellow soldiers. Lex Luthor recognizes this sacrifice and transfers Corben's brain into a human-like robot, gifting him with incredible superpowers. Luthor uses builds Corben up as Metropolis' new hero, Metal-0 (later Metallo). Metallo slowly converts into a villain after Luthor's manipulations and the constant overshadowing by Superman. With his Kryptonite energy source, Metallo sets his sights on Superman.
This movie would only mention Superman's origin through scenes of him visiting Ma Kent in Smallville and working inside The Fortress of Solitude, everybody who knows Superman knows his backstory so there's no need to retell it. The personal stake for Superman is his acceptance on Earth being threatened by Lex Luthor (the model American) and Metallo (the former U.S. soldier). Things are obviously different from the "Man of Steel" version: Clark Kent is an established Daily Planet reporter before Superman showed up in Metropolis, General Zod was locked inside The Phantom Zone after fighting Superman, Pa Kent died of a heart attack, and Clark started fighting crime as Superboy when he was a teenager in Smallville. Lois Lane is unaware of Superman's identity until the end of the film, same for Jimmy Olson. As a nod to fans, the first fight between Superman and Metallo would feature Metallo throwing a car that Superman catches much like the cover of "Action Comics #1". The most important thing about Superman in this movie is his attention to safety, he prevents collateral damage and evacuates people before starting a fight. Superman would also be light-hearted, helping a cat out of a tree and preventing a troubled teenager from killing herself. The movie's ending would see the defeated and skinless Metallo being taken by the U.S. government, Lex Luthor being arrested and Mercy Graves taking control of Lexcorp. Also, Superman would have his New 52 uniform, no offense to the red underpants.
As the first movie in this fan-made series, this film would establish the tone of the DC Cinematic Universe. The story of an immigrant fighting his own segregation and defending the people unsure of his alignment, this film would paint Superman as more sympathetic and relatable. Often Superman is criticized for being almost invincible, but by showing Superman from this perspective would show another side to his struggle. Villains like Luthor and Metallo would serve excellent foils to Superman, and supporting characters would only highlight Superman's humanity.
I hope you liked this first movie Pitch, more are on the way. Look forward to "The Caped Crusader" starring everybody's favorite bat-themed superhero. Thanks for reading!
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