Leader (comics)

The Leader
The Leader. Art by Leonard Kirk.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Tales to Astonish #62 (December 1964)
Created by	Stan Lee (Writer) Steve Ditko (Artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Samuel Sterns
Team affiliations	Intelligencia Humanoids Freehold/New Freehold Riot Squad Thunderbolts
Partnerships	Abomination Chameleon Madman
Notable aliases	Red Leader
Abilities	Genius-level genetic engineer and mastermind Superhuman intelligence and probability evaluation Psionic powers

The Leader (Samuel Sterns) is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Leader first appeared in Tales to Astonish #62, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko as an enemy of the Hulk. He has mainly appeared in Hulk related comic books over the years and was one of the featured characters in the Marvel NOW! Thunderbolts relaunch. In 2009, The Leader was ranked as IGN's 63rd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.

Sterns worked as a janitor in Boise, Idaho when he was exposed to gamma radiation. The radiation mutated him into a green skinned, super-intelligent entity who names himself the Leader, embarking on a career of crime. He is repeatedly foiled by the Hulk, who overcomes all of the Leader's schemes as well as his artificial henchmen known as the Humanoids. Sterns would later be further transformed, causing his cranium to change into the shape of an oversized brain. As part of the Intelligencia he is an integral part of the Hulked Out Heroes storyline.

Actor Tim Blake Nelson portrays Dr. Samuel Sterns in the 2008 superhero film The Incredible Hulk. In the movie, Sterns is shown to be mutating, but the film does not use the character beyond the initial mutation.

The character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #62, and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.