This is a weird comic. It almost feels like it was an afterthought, or a particular direction the series could have gone that the creative team chose not to pursue.
For a while now, there has been a subplot of a group of "concerned citizens" trying to get the team kicked out of the city. Their claim (a sometimes valid one, at that) is that the team attracts villains to the city. But, of course, in the background there is someone orchestrating the defamation of the Patrol.
Turns out it's Lex Luthor.
And he's doing it so that the Patrol will have no choice but to turn to him and become his own private superteam.
And it all gets wrapped up in this annual, featuring a villain (Maddax - like, mad ax...*sigh*) who has some of the worst dialogue. Though he is meant to be acting at a couple of points and is clearly not an actor, so perhaps the dialogue is stilted on purpose.
A second feature, with the same team as the Arani story a couple of days back, was really excellent. Rhea returns briefly to the circus, and puts to rest any qualms she might have had about being a superhero. These two stories are truly excellent, and I wish Mr. Kupperberg had followed that muse rather than the more mainstream one he did. He offers a couple of lovely character pieces in these two stories, complemented by art that is wonderfully atmospheric.
More to follow.
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