So.... I had a long, topsy-turvy relationship with the place but I don't think it's right to say the staff are sinister folks or anything. Up front, as far as I know I've never met any of them beforehand.
Initially I apped, something something disagreement about the char I picked, and I kinda gave up on it. No one really did anything horrible it was just kind of bad communication / difference of direction (and maybe trust, etc). Maybe I felt they were too 'mistrustful' of a new player, assuming the worst etc, but I don't really blame them with what they were going for.
Then I apped later on the DC half of the game, not knowing it was the same folks. Char I've always wanted to play was free, took her, had quite a bit of fun. A lot of good people there (if Wonder Girl/Cassie is around anywhere, I miss you!), and if there were any clique issues... well, I wouldn't say it was the staff enforcing it. Some people apped in with friends and so maybe focused their RP there.
At the point the DC stuff got melded back over, they nudged me toward a mutant alt (and even helped me get one that was idling, a char I'd been too slow on the first time 'round) and into some RP. I dunno if it's a clique so much as they seem to like my RP. Maybe they could be more active about nudging all sectors of the game into activity, though on the other hand a lot of people sit perma-idle who could easily get on grid.
So it's probably a bit of everyone needing to be a little more proactive?