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Leader
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Creation & Design

The Leader was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Herb Trimpe, first appearing in The Incredible Hulk #162. He was designed as a foil to the Hulk, representing the opposite of brute strength with his superior intellect.

Early Years

Samuel Sterns was a gamma radiation expert who was transformed into the Leader after an accident involving gamma radiation. This transformation granted him superhuman intelligence but left him with a distinctive green skin and enlarged cranium.

Character Development

Over the years, the Leader has evolved from a simple villain to a complex character with intricate motivations, often reflecting the themes of intelligence versus brute strength. His interactions with the Hulk have led to significant developments in both characters' arcs.

Cultural Reception

The Leader has been well-received as a classic villain in the Marvel Universe, often praised for his intelligence and cunning. He has appeared in various media adaptations, including animated series and video games.

Character Details

Real Name:
Samuel Sterns
Aliases:
The Leader
Species:
Human
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
Intelligencia, The Masters of Evil, The Leader's Army
Abilities:
Superhuman intelligence, Genius-level intellect, Expert strategist
Equipment:
Various advanced technology and gadgets
Weight:
150lbs
Height:
6' 0"
Eye Color:
green
Hair Color:
green

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Tales to Astonish #62

Marvel ⋅ 1964

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Tales to Astonish #62
 
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Key Facts

1st cameo appearance of the Leader, hooded

1st cameo appearance of Humanoid

1st cover appearance of the Chameleon

Tales to Astonish #63

Marvel ⋅ 1965

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Tales to Astonish #63
 
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1st full appearance and origin of the Leader, a gamma-mutate who attained genius level intellect

1st full appearance of the Humanoid

Tales to Astonish #64

Marvel ⋅ 1965

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Tales to Astonish #64
 
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Key Facts

1st cover and 2nd full appearance of the Leader

2nd appearance of Attuma

Incredible Hulk #115

Marvel ⋅ 1969

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Incredible Hulk #115
 
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Key Facts

Cover art by Herb Trimpe

Incredible Hulk #332

Marvel ⋅ 1987

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Incredible Hulk #332
 
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Key Facts

Samuel Stearns becomes the Leader again but his head is further mutated with the appearance of a brain

Incredible Hulk #115

Marvel Legends ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2006

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Incredible Hulk #115
 
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Reprint of The Incredible Hulk #115

Distributed with the Marvel Legends 'Face-Off Series: The Hulk vs The Leader'

Thunderbolts #2

Marvel ⋅ 2013

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Thunderbolts #2
 
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Key Facts

The Leader is irradiated with Red Gamma but does not become powered until issue #4

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