Upon the death of his father, an 18-year old Clark Kent/Kal-el, played by Brandon Routh in a more age appropriate version of the Superman character, travelled to the North Pole at the behest of the green crystal his ship to Earth had been embedded in. It was talking to him. Telling him to go North.

Once there, he threw the green crystal and the Fortress of Solitude formed out of an arctic easy-bake-freezer. Jor-El spoke to him. Told him how what he had gone through thus far as a “human” related to what he truly was. He was not simply Clark Kent, but Kal-el, the last of the great Kryptonians. It was his duty to learn from them, but not to interfere in their history.

But Kal-El had grown up on Earth. These people needed him.

For it would save immeasurable lives.

As he flew southward, he noticed what appeared to be a very small planet…spinning atop a building in downtown Metropolis in the United States. He immediately zipped down there to stop what appeared to be an interplanetary disaster.

Nope.

It was the Daily Planet, the city’s newspaper.

Young Superman realized this was perfect — he could work for the news, live here, and then he’d know whenever someone out there in the world needed to be saved! He wouldn’t keep having to figure out what to do about people he couldn’t reach in time!

And so he worked at the Daily Planet, making sure not to have to undergo unnecessary challenges due to jealousy from other guys. He goes to Perry White, the editor, and asks for a job. Perry White says only internships are available. Clark says no problem. Perry White reminds him these internships are unpaid.

Again, Clark says no problem.

Lois Lane looks down on this overgrown intern. She’s ambitious and gets some very big big stories for a young lady just starting in this 1940s-type environment with spittoons and misogynistic undertones ala Madmen, the problem is that Lois is impatient and stubborn. She doesn’t let leads develop, jumping to conclusions and using her life experience as a hot mama with lots of boyfriends as the basis for connecting dots. Thus, on Clark Kent’s first day at the Daily Planet, before spending a moment as Superman, Lois Lane is essential “pushing tabloid garbage” on the Daily Planet.

Meanwhile there’s an imp from the fifth dimension who is sitting in a tall tree in Central Park just marveling over that morning’s copy of the Daily Planet. He explains his fascination…as he goes to apply for a job from Perry White.