When did you start noticing different artists and authors?

[madmarva]

Loved Irv Novick. I remember actually realizing that the same guy who drew Batman was drawing the Flash, and like Anthony my interest in the Flash began to lag when Novick left the book.Novick is still my favorite Flash artist. Did not like Heck's sketchy style on Flash, and as seminal as his work was on the character in the 1960s, I didn't care for Carmine Infantino's work on the Flash in the 1980s. His work looked so much better to me under a strong inker.

But, I actually grew to appreciate Gil Kane's work more when he got away from the strong inkers that worked on his Green Lantern and Atom comics in the early 1960s.

While his style wasn't in the vein of classic Superman, I loved his run on Action comics with Marv Wolfman.

Gene Colan was another artist, whose work I could pick our really early on, and while I do like his work, going from Novick and Aparo's Batman in the early 1980s to Colan's version was a harsh change to me that took some getting used to.

Loved Don Newton's work on Batman and Captain Marvel. Loved his use of blacks. Would have loved to have seen what he would have done with Infinity Inc.

[The Toyroom]

Loved Irv Novick. I remember actually realizing that the same guy who drew Batman was drawing the Flash, and like Anthony my interest in the Flash began to lag when Novick left the book.Novick is still my favorite Flash artist. Did not like Heck's sketchy style on Flash, and as seminal as his work was on the character in the 1960s, I didn't care for Carmine Infantino's work on the Flash in the 1980s. His work looked so much better to me under a strong inker.

Infantino's 2nd run on the Flash actually brought me back to the book around the time of the whole trial thing...although I did make one previous attempt at issue 300. Which is kind of interesting because a few years prior when he was at Marvel on stuff like Spider-Woman and Star Wars I actually AVOIDED his work. But I much prefer his earlier Silver Age stuff to his later work.

Aparo's Batman

Another one that was instantly identifiable at a young age as a "good" Batman artist...

[The Toyroom]

Wow, you guys might as well be speaking a foreign language. I never realized that artists and authors made such a difference to kids. I never had that many comics growing up, but I guess when I did get one, all I cared about was the characters and the story, not who drew it or who wrote it. I guess there's just different levels of geekdom.

Thanks guys.

Initially it IS the super-heroes that draw you in...but that will only get you so far. If you're in it for the "long haul" as I suppose most of us comic book readers are it becomes 2nd nature to know your artists (and to a lesser extent the writers).

You can have a good story but if it's drawn poorly it becomes distracting. Same thing in reverse...if its all great pin-ups but a hack writing job (like the Miller/Lee All-Star Batman) it's equally annoying.

I think when you start becoming responsible for buying your own comics you will have the tendency to follow the artists and writers you enjoy. But if your parents are buying you "funny books" it doesn't matter what you grab cuz they're paying for it. I used to con my father out of so many bagged 3-packs it was ridiculous. Sight unseen, not even being able to crack the book open and take a look inside.

[VintageMike]

Jim Aparo's Batman was the first I recognized maybe possible because he did so many covers.

[torgospizza]

It's crazy how different Aparo's Batman looked than his Aquaman stuff. But that could be said for Infantino's change between his 60s DC stuff and Star Wars or Gil Kane's style change between Green Lantern and (f.ex.) Conan. These guys got so heavily stylized over time, to where their drawings weren't pure illustration, so much as visual shorthand, if that makes any sense. Kirby is almost the example of this.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

When I was a little kid I noticed how Casper sometimes looked different, but didn't chalk it up to rotating artists. The first tiome I really noticed different artists was in the early 80's, when we started getting 2000AD from Britain. You'd get the same character drawn by folks with radically different styles. (Like Ezquesera, Bolland or Smith doing a Dredd story.)

Don C.

[bobws]

I always loved superheroes but my parents didn't like comics. so when i was 17 and driving and making my own money istarted buying comics. i knew i liked certain art in books better than others , but i really didn't pay attention. Until someone took overthe JLA in it's 2nd of a 3 part story. Dick dillin just passed away and some new guy to DC filled in for him. Right away i went back and checked who did the artone the first issue and who took over. I've been a BIG fan of George Perez ever since! and then he came out with the New teen Titans and i flipped! my new favorite artist and my favorite team together. the only complaint was he and marv never gave me a reunion of all the old east/west titans and aquagirl in an story. and they never included Airwave in a guest spot either.

But that was when i started to pay attention to who wrote and drew comics.