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Topic: Q: What keeps the Leader from being A-list? Post Reply | Post New Topic
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Andrew Bitner
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 01 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7541
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 4:25pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

The Leader is going to appear in the new Captain America movie, so I guess the guy's on my mind.
Question is: given he might be the smartest man on Earth in Marvel--even beating Reed and Doom--what has kept him from being a world-class threat? Is it his fixation on the Hulk? Is it that he lacks the imagination or ambition?
The Leader seems like a character who could (and should) threaten entire teams of heroes, rather than constantly tangling with a green-skinned monster he should (theoretically) be able to defeat.

What gives?
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 134005
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 4:26pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

He’s silly looking.
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Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 28 July 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 31462
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 4:32pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Gotta be the green skin
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Jason Ladwig
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 29 April 2020
Location: United States
Posts: 226
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 5:27pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply

JB's response made me chuckle out loud. Thanks, I needed that.
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Brian ONeill
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 04 July 2024
Posts: 70
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 6:05pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

'Evil version of hero looks(something) like hero' syndrome.
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Casey Sager
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 753
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 7:16pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

I'm honestly surprised they're bringing back Tim Blake Nelson to play the role after 16-17 years. It almost seems out of character for them to do that.

Edited by Casey Sager on 07 February 2025 at 3:14pm
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Steven Brake
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 01 January 2016
Posts: 675
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 7:38pm | IP Logged | 7 post reply

Both The Leader and The Abomination seem to be specifically Hulk villains. 

It's odd that neither ever, or only rarely, are antagonists for other characters. 

The Abomination could be a decent part of a Masters of Evil or Frightful Four line-up - has he ever fought The Thing?

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Andrew Bitner
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 01 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7541
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 9:00pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

I guess "he's silly looking" works. Big bulbous head, parodied by Megamind and others, maybe a bit too much like the Martians from MARS ATTACKS! Maybe he's just too hard to take seriously.
For all that, though, he's got potential. One day...
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Andrew Bitner
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 01 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7541
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 9:02pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

And AFAIK, Abomination hasn't ever fought the Thing. That would be a pretty good match-up, considering Blonsky is stronger than Hulk but doesn't increase his strength--something Ben is probably used to facing with Banner.
He would be a good addition to some non-Hulk-specific groups. I think the only hold up is when an editorial office says "no, these are OUR toys, you can't use them." That does happen, doesn't it?
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Jean Voulis
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 05 February 2025
Location: Canada
Posts: 43
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 9:32pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

I enjoyed his initial story in Tales to Astonish which culminated in him trying to rob the Watcher's abode on the moon.

A bit of a one note character but I do like the contrast between his brain and the Hulk's brawn.
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Doug Centers
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Joined: 17 February 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 5684
Posted: 06 February 2025 at 10:11pm | IP Logged | 11 post reply

My memory of The Leader always goes back to those sixties Marvel cartoons. I can still hear that shrill voice.

And yes, the looks. Like M.O.D.O.K. they just don't have that allure.
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Jose Zulueta
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 20 March 2022
Location: United States
Posts: 181
Posted: 07 February 2025 at 12:05am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

My guess is that the Leader was created in the tradition of Lex Luthor and Sivana; the ultimate opposites of the musclebound heroes. As opposed to super-strong, the villains are super-smart. 

Thing is, though, the Leader is consistently defeated by the end of every Hulk story ... so what does that say about The Leader's intellect? 
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