Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh! This is a 15-PART!!!! miniseries. I was just reading on the DC wiki that it also signals a move from a humorous book to a more serious book. We are changing creative teams. Boo-hoo, sob, cry. But this might also explain the cover of issue 54, which looks like Blue Beetle and Ice have thrown away their costumes, and are walking into the night together.
So, the new JLI leader takes over. The first page shows Kurt in the office of the Ambassador of Bialya. From this, I learn that apparently Captain Atom has done something in Bialya in the second part of this story arc. We then see Kurt calling the JLE embassy and telling Sue that she should pack up Captain Atom's bags, so he'd be kicked to the curb when he got back from Bialya. Meanwhile, in Bialya, Sumaan Harjavti, the brother of the deposed and murdered Rumaan, is plotting with Jack'o'lantern to take out the Queen Bee. I am not sure if they are the ones plotting against Max in order to get the Justice League to take out the Queen or not, bu it seems as they are. And then the plane carrying Captain Atom and Camus (a reporter?) out of Bialya explodes. Since it is Captain Atom, the only people on that plane that I would be worried about are the pilots.
Kurt is on his way to the JLA headquarters, where everyone is worried he's going to clean house, like he did in London (Ralph and Atom both fired). In fact, he fires Beetle and Ice. I think Fire used her wiles to stay on. Guy might have been fired, but didn't let Kurt get a word in. Then Kurt brings in the Tasmanian Devil and Doctor Light. Tasmanian Devil really doesn't like Guy.
And even more story... Crimson Fox, Ralph, Camus and Captain Atom bring Beetle and Ice into a secret group to get the Queen Bee, and return to Max to power so that they can get rid of Kurt Heimlech.
Again, I am impressed by how much story is told in one of these issues. The new JLA would probably have taken 5 issues to this one. I guess maybe it's a matter of liking the new art so much that one can sacrifice the speed of storytelling? I don't know, but I like these so much better.