FACTORY
Membership: Dolph (security/bouncer), "Dragon Lady" (worked the door), Jean-Paul (manager), Martin "Marty" Roth (owner), Toby (security/bouncer)
Purpose: The Factory was a Nightclub catering to
the wealthy, celebrities, etc.;
Martin Roth intended it to
manufacture corruption: Any whim that excited society's secret soul
could be satisfied under its roof
Aliases: None
Affiliations: Conquest
Dynamics (Damon
Conquest's company);
formerly Chango
Villalobos and the Villalobos family, Nestor
Guests: Rebecca Chambers, Justice (John Tensen), Hoyt Pittman, Chango Villalobos and the Villalobos family, numerous others unidentified, including movie and rock stars, and models.
Base of Operations: Near or on St. Mark's Place, Manhattan, New York, USA, Earth-148611
First Appearance: Justice I#1 (November, 1986)
Features: The Factory was a large club with a dance floor on the ground level. Owner Martin Roth's office and the VIP lounge were located upstairs.
History:
(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. Chango warned him to end this business or he and Nestor would return to end him (Roth).
(Justice I#1) - Tensen followed
Chambers into the Factory.
After dancing, Jean-Paul took Chambers up to the VIP lounge.
(Justice I#1 (fb) - BTS) - 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 (see comments).
(Justice I#1) - 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. Jean-Paul then told Chambers that he was playing that he had been corrupted by Roth 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 Tensen disintegrated 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 Tensen (allegedly able to read auras and determine good vs. evil; see comments), 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 Tensen away at gunpoint (believing Jean-Paul to have been an honest agent). Tensen then 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, noting that it had 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.
Tensen then confronted and disintegrated Roth.
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....
This profile was completed 1/02/2022, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Factory has no known connections to
Dolph worked as security/bouncer for the Factory.(Justice I#1) - As Rebecca Chambers sought access to the Factory, cutting to the front of a long line and introducing herself as being under Jean-Paul, the "Dragon Lady" told Dolph it was cool, as she was on the list. When the paranormal John Tensen (later known as Justice) began forcing his way to the front of the line, the Dragon Lady alerted Dolph and Toby of the presence of a crasher. Dolph was silent as the "Dragon Lady" decided that the would-be crasher would be good for the mix at the club, as it had been a slow night. --Justice I#1 Note: Pictured with Dolph are Rebecca Chambers (central) and the Dragon Lady (right of panel) |
Toby worked as security/bouncer for the Factory.(Justice I#1) - When the paranormal John Tensen (later known as Justice) began forcing his way to the front of the line, the Dragon Lady alerted Dolph and Toby of the presence of a crasher. Toby advised the crasher that he had been hanging around quietly all evening and that he should not make them get violent as the "evil Dragon Lady" enjoyed it too much. Toby was silent as the "Dragon Lady" decided that the would-be crasher would be good for the mix at the club, as it had been a slow night. --Justice I#1 Pictured with Toby (front right) are Dolph (central top) and the "Dragon Lady" (top left) |
  The VIP lounge
was the exclusive upstairs level to which the general patrons did
not have access.Jean-Paul brought Rebecca Chambers up here, and the "dragon lady" hostess brought Tensen up. Knowing Chango Villalobos was listening in but believing Roth had arranged protection, Jean-Paul baited Chango to attack, and both Jean-Paul and Nestor died there. --Justice I#1 |
images: (without ads)
Justice I#1, pg. 12, panel 3 (exterior);
panel 5
(Dolph);
pg. 13, panel 1-2 (Dragon Lady
front, mostly full, distant (and Toby))
panel 5
(interior, main dance floor);
pg. 14, panel 1 (Roth's office);
pg. 18,
panel 3-4 (VIP lounge & bar);
Appearances:
Justice I#1 (November, 1986) - Archie
Goodwin (writer), Geof Isherwood (penciler), Joe Delbeato & Jack
Fury (inkers), Michael Higgins (editor)
First posted: 09/12/2026
Last updated: 01/02/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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