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The Leader(s) -- Enemy of the Incredible Hulk
This thread is dedicated to my friend Sentry (Lee Harrah) who is the biggest Hulk fan I know.
The shortage of Marvel villains in the Mego Universe is common knowledge. And, one of its most glaring holes is the absence of the Incredible Hulk's most notorious adversary, the Leader.
Per Marvel Universe Wiki For every yin, there is a yang. Gamma radiation released Bruce Banner’s subconscious rage, giving it physical form as the Hulk, an embodiment of strength. So perhaps it was high school dropout Sam Sterns’ desire to be more like his scientist brother Phillip that caused him to transform into the hyper-intelligent Leader when he too was exposed to gamma radiation. Working as a laborer in a government-owned chemical research facility in the Nevada desert, Sam was caught in an explosion when a cylinder of radioactive waste he was moving unexpectedly blew up. Recovering in the hospital, he discovered he had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and rapidly read through every book he could lay his hands on.
Weeks later, Sam underwent a physical transformation as well, when his skin turned green and his skull expanded upwards. Calling himself the Leader, he organized a spy ring to steal scientific secrets, only to find the Hulk an impediment to his plans. Desiring to study his foe, he sent first the Chameleon and then synthetic Humanoids to capture the green behemoth, starting what would become a long-standing feud between them.
I present to you today, three versions of Hulk's mortal enemy...
The first is the "flat-top" version of the Leader. Based on the Herb Trimpe art for Incredible Hulk 115, he is built on an original Mego Teen Titan body; green CTVT teen hands; boots of unknown origin; head enlarged from the Marvel Legends Face-Off figure with paints by me; and costume made so perfectly by Hawkmike.
page 4 of Incredible Hulk 115
Marvel Legends Face-Off original head source:
The "round-head" version of the Leader is based on the episode "Punks on Wheels"
from the 1982 animated Amazing Spider-Man and Incredible Hulk show.
I always found this version intriguing because of the pink/lavender suit. He is built on an original Mego Teen Titan body; CTVT teen hands and boots; suit by yours truly; head enlarged from an Anti-Hulk Armor action figure from the '90s with paints by me.
Here are a couple stills from that episode...(don't you just love seeing Leader on a motorcycle?)
Anti-Hulk Armor action figure head source:
The third, and final, variant is the "big brain" Leader. He is also built on an original Mego Teen Titan body with hands and boots from CTVT; suit by yours truly; and head is an enlargement of the Marvel Legends Face-off variant with paints by me.
Marvel Legends Face-Off head source:
Group shots!
Mego Hulk with "flat-top" Leader
Custom Gray Hulk with "big-brain" Leader
Mego Hulk, Custom General Grandpa "Thunderbolt" Walton Ross, and "round-head" Leader
I hope you enjoy my customs as much as I do, and, as always, thanks for looking!
Peace, Love, and Megos!
Austin
The shortage of Marvel villains in the Mego Universe is common knowledge. And, one of its most glaring holes is the absence of the Incredible Hulk's most notorious adversary, the Leader.
Per Marvel Universe Wiki For every yin, there is a yang. Gamma radiation released Bruce Banner’s subconscious rage, giving it physical form as the Hulk, an embodiment of strength. So perhaps it was high school dropout Sam Sterns’ desire to be more like his scientist brother Phillip that caused him to transform into the hyper-intelligent Leader when he too was exposed to gamma radiation. Working as a laborer in a government-owned chemical research facility in the Nevada desert, Sam was caught in an explosion when a cylinder of radioactive waste he was moving unexpectedly blew up. Recovering in the hospital, he discovered he had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and rapidly read through every book he could lay his hands on.
Weeks later, Sam underwent a physical transformation as well, when his skin turned green and his skull expanded upwards. Calling himself the Leader, he organized a spy ring to steal scientific secrets, only to find the Hulk an impediment to his plans. Desiring to study his foe, he sent first the Chameleon and then synthetic Humanoids to capture the green behemoth, starting what would become a long-standing feud between them.
I present to you today, three versions of Hulk's mortal enemy...
The first is the "flat-top" version of the Leader. Based on the Herb Trimpe art for Incredible Hulk 115, he is built on an original Mego Teen Titan body; green CTVT teen hands; boots of unknown origin; head enlarged from the Marvel Legends Face-Off figure with paints by me; and costume made so perfectly by Hawkmike.
page 4 of Incredible Hulk 115
Marvel Legends Face-Off original head source:
The "round-head" version of the Leader is based on the episode "Punks on Wheels"
I always found this version intriguing because of the pink/lavender suit. He is built on an original Mego Teen Titan body; CTVT teen hands and boots; suit by yours truly; head enlarged from an Anti-Hulk Armor action figure from the '90s with paints by me.
Here are a couple stills from that episode...(don't you just love seeing Leader on a motorcycle?)
Anti-Hulk Armor action figure head source:
The third, and final, variant is the "big brain" Leader. He is also built on an original Mego Teen Titan body with hands and boots from CTVT; suit by yours truly; and head is an enlargement of the Marvel Legends Face-off variant with paints by me.
Marvel Legends Face-Off head source:
Group shots!
Mego Hulk with "flat-top" Leader
Custom Gray Hulk with "big-brain" Leader
Mego Hulk, Custom General Grandpa "Thunderbolt" Walton Ross, and "round-head" Leader
I hope you enjoy my customs as much as I do, and, as always, thanks for looking!
Peace, Love, and Megos!
Austin
Nice bunch of guys Austin!
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