On the subject of meaning in Krypton, the ones I find the most meaningful are actually not in the comics. That isn't a slight to the Silver Age version because I enjoy it as well.
First and formost is the Krypton from STAS which draws influences from nearly every version of Krypton there has ever been. I think it strikes a good balance because it's not just the Krypton that is cold and just there to die so Superman can be human like Byrnes, yet it's also quite a bit less wacky than the Silver Age version.
What I liked is that the explanation for why the council chose not to believe Jor-El was not only their arrogance but also a great dependance on technology for their answer to everything. Not only a classic science fiction theme, but a very timely one for when the show was made that resonates even now. (and the *perfect* way to bring Brainiac into the story.)
I really enjoyed the design sense that Bruce Timm brought to it. Lots of little touches, everything from the architecture to the fact that this time it's Lara who has the curl.
I also like the version of Krypton in the movies. While in many ways this Krypton is cold even literally, it also really works the religous metaphor. In a sense you get the idea that Krypton is heaven. Or at least, it was and its angels could not concieve that they could die.
To me the reason why Krypton it is meaningful for Krypton to be a place worth remembering is not only because I believe that it's essential to Supermans character but also even from day one the idea behind Krypton is that it is a world just like Earth that managed to achive all the wonderful dreams of mankind. It was a world that made it, and but for the arrogance of a few, it was all lost.
One of the defining elements of whether or not I like a version of Krypton is in how the rocket launch/goodbye scene is handled. Nearly every version of it I've ever scene I found to be a very moving. Sometimes even to the point of getting misty eyed. It's such a wonderful story. Sad yet filled with swelling of hope by knowing that this poor little baby from a doomed world will become the greatest hero ever known. All the version of Krypton I've seen have been able to do this.
All except one.
Byrne Krypton. I don't know if it's the look of the place, the sterile world thing, Laras stupid "Ohh! He bares his flesh in the air!" or "he can shape them to proper Kryptonian ways" lines. Or the fugly orange egg on a hyperdrive ship. But it just did nothing for me at all. It's pretty clear that with Byrne Krypton you're not supposed to give a crap about because Byrne doesn't either and if you're determined to apply the Marvel paradigm to every superhero in existance, including Superman then I guess it's not supposed to matter anyway. :?
Your points are all well taken, Kuuga.
But my guess why you didn't feel moved by Byrne's Krypton at ALL is that it was indeed that strange ""Ooooh! He bares his flesh in the air!!" reaction of Lara. It WAS a big departure from what we knew of Jor_El & Lara, and even
I found this scene more revolting and attention-craving then "complex" or fascinating"... :?
I found the being shunted off to earth part of Byrne also left me oddly indifferent. But Byrne's Krypton as a whole is STILL the most magnificient of all Kryptons, because it turned Superman's tale (and origin) into some veritable Epic: Superman wasn't just some mindless "kryptonian patriot" trying to live UP to the ethics of an culture whose morals were
dubious at best (Phantom Zone, or that custom to force young people to take up a job choosed for them by an computer?? WTF???), but who's the very paragon of the word "Hero".
Plus, there was this aspect of "Dark Krypton" allways trying to reach from the grave and remake Superman into its own corrupted image...