Didn't Superboy have a Legion Flight Ring stashed away in his belt buckle, or something like that? Where'd it go?
Good question! Didn't all Legion members also have Telepathic Earplugs and transparent life support suits that automatically kick in on contact with vacuum? (which explains scenes of Legionnaires comfortably surviving in space). My understanding is that transsuits activated on contact with vacuum or hostile atmospheres, however, SUDDEN atmospheric changes (like say, for example, a gas attack) did not activate the transuits; this accounts for why, for instance, the Legion could be affected by Mantis Morlo's hallucinogenic gas and the Fear Gas used as a weapon in Tharok/Dark Man's citadel.
One big problem with Superman the technowizard with technowizard friends is that there's just no good explanation of why he doesn't apply that knowhow toward personal protection.
Englehart, during his wonderful run on GREEN LANTERN (and later, when the book's name changed, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) established the idea that Lantern's Power Ring is programmed to automatically defend the wearer reflexively.
Superman had protective devices, as I recall, the first being his invulnerable cape; notice, for example, that when battling King Kosmos, whose future weapons can harm Superman, he extends his cape out over himself like a shield. Another was a lead suit he kept in the Fortress of Solitude that allowed him to examine and study Kryptonite.
The Kandorians could make great unobtrusive nano-technology to help their savior, if it didn't occur to Kal-El himself.
I can't see the 1950s, Flash Gordon style Krypton making use of a technology like nanotech. Nanotechnology (as well as certain other types of technology - for instance, bionics) are very un-pulp in aesthetic. One can never imagine John Carter, the heroes from LENSMAN, or Buck Rogers using a transistor device; even though they're in future societies that almost assuredly must have invented something more useful (though having much less flavor) than the vacuum tube.
(Yeah, I do get what you're trying to say, though.)
Heck, why not just have a few dozen Kandor scientists and engineers working in a Kandor-sized research facility inside Superman's belt buckle? They'd be his "secret weapon", when they weren't busy on reversing Brainiac's shrinking ray (with super-speed and intellect, no less).
This is a pretty trippy idea; Superman having tiny people stashed inside his belt buckle. Inside his buckle there would probably be all sorts of luxiurious accomodations for visiting Kandorians. The Superman Rescue Squad with their callow, hero worshipping ways, would probably do anything for Superman.
The Kandorians might be the explanation for how various pieces of Super-Equipment pop into being; perhaps they gratefully spend their free time (and being tiny and living in a bottle, I'm sure they've got a lot) building helpful devices for him. If a gadget suddenly shows up in Superman's care (like for instance, Superman's Super-Newsroom) it may be the case that the Kandorians built it for him.
Superman's Great Wall of China vision could be explained as Kandorians rebuilding the Great Wall and Superman using his supervision to inspect their work.
Hmmm, that's one interesting explanation for how that really goofy feat was pulled off. You've got to admire those little guys in the Superman Emergency Squad; they do all the grunt work (like rebuilding the entire Great Wall of China) without so much as a single complaint.
Here's another one:
"Movie" Superman was shown to have all sorts of powers that Superman in the comics has not demonstrated; for example, the ability to move objects with telekinetic force by pointing, hologram projection, and so on. Perhaps "Movie" Superman has a greater command of time as well?
After all, it was stated by Superman's father how vital it is he not interfere with human history. Why would this be so emphasized would make more sense if he sported some sort of time control power. This may also explain how Superman was able to travel back in time - he was using a time travel ability instead of doing what it looked like he was doing, make the earth spin the other way (!). It just looks like the earth spins the other way, because he was using his time careening power to project himself to a point where the earth was at a different point in its axial rotation. Perhaps movie Superman also has something not unlike the Tom Peyer Hourman, a power like "Time-Vision" that can reverse the flow of time?
(Incidentally, that was a great series I'd love to see on Trade Paperback.)