Fans are preparing for the upcoming release ofCaptain America: Brave New World,a new addition to the next phase of theMarvel Cinematic Universe. Like most comic book movies, the most exciting aspect isn’t the titular hero - it’s the villain. Alongside the long-awaited appearance of the Red Hulk, fans are expecting to be introduced to Tim Blake Nelson’sthe Leader, a long-time Marvel villain with a rich history that comic and movie fans alike need to catch up on to enjoy his silver screen debut.
To prepare for this debut, artistLirhyaPetitPaindelivereda jaw-dropping design of their favorite character, the Leader, on X. This artistic piece appears like a religious fresco of holy iconography surrounding the many avatars ofone of Hulk’s greatest villains.
It’s not just a brilliant design of a favorite Marvel enemy but a complete history of the Leader’s many guises and iterations - told wordlessly through a LSD-like visual.Here, the Leader stands out,ready for one final iteration in the MCU.
Who Is the Leader, One of the Hulk’s Most Vicious Enemies?
Hulk’s Greatest Enemy and His Many Iterations
The Leader is the archenemy of the Hulk. Created by comic legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he has stood the test of time, having many iterations through the years, just like his enemy the Hulk. The Leader is the antithesis of the Hulk, having been exposed to the same gamma radiation - only it didn’t make him an overpowered monster. Instead, the radiation increased his brain and made him a super-intelligent individual. He is a brilliantly crafted character,intelligent where the Hulk is strong and vicious where the Hulk is kind.
Every version of the Leader is reporting for duty as fans prepare for his on-screen debut.
The full history of the famous villain is represented in this artwork, which includesevery costume he’s had through the years and also some of his variants that are connected to his possession of other bodies.The Leader has taken on the body of the Red Hulk, who will also appear inCaptain America: Brave New World,and then called himself the Red Leader. He has also possessed another villain named Omnibus. He was even seen briefly as a member of the Thunderbolts, another soon-to-be MCU team. Most recently, fans have seen the Leader transform into something entirely different inImmortal Hulkwith a terrifying upgrade.
Samuel Stern’s the Leader Is Ready For One Final Iteration
The Leader Takes on a Terrifying Form in Immortal Hulk
As reflected in this artwork, the Leader isn’t just a gamma-irradiated man in green with an oversized cranium. In the pages ofImmortal Hulk#50 by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett,the Leader becomes a thing of eldritch horror as he bonds with the One Below Alland becomes practically a god of gamma radiation. Even this piece of rich and recent lore is reflected in the hellish reflection at the bottom of LirhyaPetitPain’s artwork. In fact, the whole piece speaks to the Leader’s characteristic and nearly religious dominance: almost as if the very artwork is hypnotizing comic fans into submission as one of his humanoids.
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Every version of the Leader is reporting for duty as fans prepare for his on-screen debut. Fans would also be lucky to witness a version ofthis fan-favorite Hulk Enemyas satisfying and comic-accurate as this mandala-like artwork. While the MCU’s Samuel Sterns will only be a piece of the brilliant puzzle,the Leaderhas a rich comic history backing him as he tries to defeat the Hulk time and time again - only now in his newMCUform.
Hulk
The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel’s universe.
