History:
FRANK JACOBY
Real Name: Frank Jacoby
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Art agent
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Lt. Berg, Lance, The Shroud
Enemies: Cat, The Crooked Man, Mouse
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Los Angeles, California, USA
First Appearance: Marvel Preview I#21/2 (Spring, 1980)
Powers/Abilities: Frank Jacoby was experienced in public relations.
Height: Unrevealed
(approximately 5'10)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 175 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed
History:
(Marvel Preview I#21/2) - Frank Jacoby represented the modern artist Lance. When Lance was targeted by the criminal Crooked Man, who kidnapped Lance and his paintings, Jacoby waited by his telephone with policeman Lt. Berg for ransom instructions. The Crooked Man telephoned Jacoby and demanded in total $100,000 for Lance and his paintings, suggesting that for another $10,000 he'd kill Lance, which would raise the value of his paintings.
Collecting the money, Frank Jacoby went to a park at night to meet with the Shroud, who was posing as the Crooked Man's accomplice while seeking to bring down his operations. While the Shroud faced him, the Crooked Man's operatives Cat and Mouse grabbed the briefcase from Jacoby and fled. When Jacoby demanded the Shroud give him back Lance, the Shroud lifted back a nearby shadow that had obscured Lance's body. Jacoby freed Lance while the Shroud fled from the police.
Comments: Created by Steven Grant, Mark Gruenwald and Steve Ditko.
Steve Ditko famously despised modern art and used this story to indulge in one of his (many) pet peeves.
This profile was completed on 03/17/2026 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Frank Jacoby should not be confused with:
Lance was a modern artist whose work appeared in the Los Angeles Gallery of Art. He'd previously been a dishwasher. Frank Jacoby was his agent. Lance claimed one of his paintings represented "the fragility of man, crushed by an unthinking, nature and an unbending society." Lance was targeted by the Crooked Man as a source of ransom because the Crooked Man despised his art, personally preferring the works of Rembrandt, Raphael and Titian. The Crooked Man kidnapped Lance and his paintings while working alongside the Shroud, who intended to break up the Crooked Man's operations. Jacoby paid a $100,000 ransom to the Crooked Man and the Shroud released Lance to Jacoby.
--Marvel Preview I#21/2
images: (without ads)
Marvel Preview I#21/2, page 7, panel 3 (main)
Marvel Preview I#21/2, page 7, panel 5 (face)
Marvel Preview I#21/2, page 5, panel 6 (Lance)
Appearances:
Marvel Preview I#21/2 (Spring, 1980) - Steven Grant (writer), Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Steve Ditko (artist), Lynn Graeme (editor)
First posted: 09/23/2026
Last updated:
03/17/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel
Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!