MARTIN ROTH
MARTIN ROTH
Real Name: Martin "Marty" Roth
Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (Earth-148611/"New Universe")
Occupation: Owner of the Factory; revolutionary;
involved in drug supply;
Group Membership: The Factory staff ( (Dolph, "Dragon Lady," Jean-Paul,Toby, numerous unidentified))
Affiliations: Conquest Dynamics (Damon Conquest's company), Dolph (security/bouncer), "dragon lady" (worked the door), Jean-Paul, Toby (security/bouncer);
formerly Chango Villalobos and the Villalobos family
Enemies: Rebecca Chambers, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Justice (John Tensen), Hoyt Pittman, Chango Villalobos, Nestor; the "establishment"
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: The Factory, near or on St. Mark's Place, Manhattan, New York, Earth-148611
First Appearance: Justice I#1 (November, 1986)
Powers/Abilities: Martin Roth has no superhuman powers or physical abilities.
Seeking to bring down what he perceives as a corrupt establishment, Roth used his wealth to finance the Factory nightclub, encouraging the engagement of numerous vices (drugs, etc.); he hoped to thus weaken and bring down society: "I'm producing the dry rot that will finally make it collapse."
He was willing to kill and frame others to achieve his goals.
Height: Unrevealed (he seemed a little short, so perhaps 5'6" to 5'8")
Weight: Unrevealed (perhaps 140-160 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown, including mustache
History:
(Justice
I#1 (fb) - BTS) - In the 1960s, Martin Roth was a prominent figure in
counter-culture movement, actively fighting to bring down what he
perceived as a corrupt establishment.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - In the 1980s, Roth opened up the Factory nightclub. While the building it operated out of did indeed used to be a factory, he called it the Factory because he intended it to manufacture corruption: Any whim that excited society's secret soul could be satisfied under its roof.
While many of his aging hippy ex-friends considered that he had sold out the movement and betrayed his past, Roth considered that he was still fighting, but now from the inside.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Chango Villalobos of the Villalobos family supplied drugs to the Factory.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Roth gained a number of investors, including Conquest Dynamics. He considered that while the investors thought they were using him, he was actually using them.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - FBI agent Rebecca Chambers had her first justice department operation involving Martin Roth and Chango Villalobos.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - At least by Roth's perception, the Villalobos family elevated their prices frequently and excessively.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Roth prepared a complex plot in which he worked with corrupt FBI agent Jean-Paul to frame Rebecca Chambers: After drawing her partner, Hoyt Pittman (who would be posing as her chauffeur), into the Factory, they would load her car with drugs (heroin apparently, as he called it "junk"), while Jean-Paul would get Rebecca to drink a beverage laced with the drug. With this evidence, it would make it look like Chambers had used her FBI position to get heavily involved in the drug scene.
At the same time, they planned to have Chango Villalobos overhear Jean-Paul speak to Chambers about faking being a double agent and plotting to manipulate Chango into a killing frenzy. Roth assured Jean-Paul that he would have someone present in the room with Jean-Paul to take out Chango, Chango's agent Nestor, and Chambers, which would then be spun as a big falling out over a drug deal.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Roth told Chango how to switch their special monitor to eavesdrop function in the VIP lounge.
(Justice I#1 - BTS) - From the drug-dealer known as Snap, paranormal former Department of Justice agent John Tensen (who believed himself an extradimensional warrior from the Land of Spring due to the manipulations of Daedalus Darquill), learned of the Factory, as "one of the real Heavies."
(Justice I#1) - As Chambers arrived at the Factory and met with Jean-Paul, Roth watched from his office via one-way glass alongside Chango and Nestor. He noted the size of the crowd on a weekday and the presence of a movie star, three rock sensations, and unlimited fashion models; when he noted the presence of their "traitor" (Jean-Paul), however, Chango furiously smashed Roth up against the glass, believing he was playing games and threatening to throw him through the glass; believing Roth could learn, however, Chango instead moved Roth to his desk. Uncomfortable with the idea of a government agent infiltrating Roth's staff, Chango threatened Roth with the blade he extended from his snake-headed cane, and he asked Roth why he put the Villalobos business at risk.
As Roth explained that Jean-Paul was a traitor to the FBI, Chango tossed Roth against the wall and noted he had his attention and that he should speak quickly and maintain it. Roth continued that he and Jean-Paul were setting up Rebecca Chambers, who was running the investigation, and that this is why he had Chango bring the club's monthly supply of goods early. When Chango noted this to be an expensive sacrifice, Roth assured him it would be worth it, as this would muddy the case so bad the law would never mess with the Factory or him again. After Roth discussed his past and his goals, Chango noted that it still sounded like games; Roth told Chango to trust him, promising Chango would be surprised. Caring neither for promises nor for Roth's real or imagined blows against the establishment, Chango warned him to end this business or he and Nestor would return to end him (Roth).
(Justice I#1 - BTS) - Justice followed Chambers into the Factory.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - While Jean-Paul took Chambers up to the VIP lounge, Roth had the drugs placed in Chambers' car after Pittman had followed Justice into the Factory. Amidst the activities, Jean-Paul allegedly forgot to put someone in position to protect Jean-Paul from Chango.
(Justice I#1 - BTS) - Aware that Chango was listening in through the VIP lounge's microphones, while encouraging Chambers to drink to keep up appearances, Jean-Paul told her about how they would take down Chango Villalobos. When Jean-Paul told Chambers that he was playing that Roth had corrupted Jean-Paul and that they were setting her up when they were really taking down Chango. Enraged at hearing this, Chango and Nestor rushed in and began firing at them. After Justice incinerated Nestor with his "sword" blast, Chango fell to the ground, dropping his weapon. As he reached for the weapon, Jean-Paul picked it up, but Justice (apparently able to read auras and determine good vs. evil), incinerated Jean-Paul as well.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Roth claimed Chango's snake-headed cane.
(Justice I#1) - As Roth watched from behind a partially-closed door, Chango dove out a window, holding onto some light fixtures above the main dance floor, and Chambers began to take Justice away at gunpoint (believing Jean-Paul to have been an honest agent).
(Justice I#1 - BTS) - Justice used his shield to knock Chambers and the newly arrived Pittman down.
(Justice I#1) - As Chango struggled to reach a window to the roof, Roth opened the window and revealed his plot to Chango, who told him his plot was too complex to have worked and noted that his family could help him. While agreeing that the plot was too complex -- noting how Jean-Paul had failed to get Chambers to consume the drugged drink and that something else had gotten Pittman into the Factory -- Roth informed Chango that the plot had nonetheless rid him of a menace who had hiked prices once too often. Roth then stabbed Chango's hand with his own cane, and Chango presumably fell to his death on the floor far below.
Roth verbally considered that without Chango to testify, his little game could still play, as the junk was still in Chambers' car and could be used for smear value. As he noted he could hold his investors, Justice interrupted, telling him that he had learned what he needed to learn, the next level of corruption. Roth told Justice that they were on the side, as Roth was using corruption to get rid of a corrupt society. Noting that he could see that Roth sincerely believed that, Justice disintegrated Roth, noting that that belief had sincerely twisted him.
Comments: Created by Archie Goodwin, Geof Isherwood, Joe Delbeato, and Jack Fury.
For any unfamiliar, here's a primer to the New Universe, courtesy of Prime Eternal...if the link doesn't work, just scroll down....
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Martin Roth should be distinguished from:
Appearances:
Justice I#1 (November, 1986) - Archie Goodwin (writer), Geof Isherwood (penciler), Joe Delbeato & Jack Fury (inkers), Michael Higgins (editor)
First posted: 12/29/2021
Last updated: 12/31/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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