A little of both, but mostly character. Much more interested in something Darwyn Cooke writes and draws than I am in a Chuck Austen Superman, for instance, no matter how much I might like Superman. That wasn't always the case. Used to be, the worst written and drawn Batman or Spider-Man comic was more appealing than anything with characters I didn't "know". Now I'd rather give those bad comics a pass and check out something new. But I'm still drawn to new comics about those characters, to at least check out.

Creator

It's 50/50,really.Like casting the right actor for a role.No question Jack Lemmon was a brilliant actor,but he probably would've been terrible as Stanley Kowalski(the Marlon Brando role in Streetcar Named Desire).

6 year old me: Character

10 year old me: Character 80%, Creator 20%

18 year old me: Character 50%, Creator 50%

51 year old me: Creator

It's mostly the artist. It's about 99% the artist, for me.

Only a couple of writers have ever got me to buy a comic regardless of the artwork.

Some characters interest me, but not if they're drawn in a way I dislike. Or written badly.

This, except I didn't start paying attention to creator until at least 12-13.

If a writer or artist I don't like does a Tarzan comic, I might try it anyway.
If a writer or artist I like a lot does a Guy Gardner comic, I'll probably skip it.
If a writer or artist I like does a new comic with brand new characters, I'll probably try it.

10 is when I discovered Curt Swan and Neal Adams. Then Jim Aparo. Then Kubert took over Tarzan, and I knew who Joe Kubert was.

That's an interesting question, too: Who was the first creator that you ever noticed by name?

Peter David was the first one for me. He had a running gag about a comic-book store that kept getting wrecked during superhero fights. When I witnessed that gag carry over from Spider-Man to Wolverine, I was like, "Wait, did the same guy write those?" I think I was eleven.

My exposure to Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and Jack Kirby through the Marvel Fireside books of the 1970's made me more aware of Marvel's creators than I would have otherwise been, so those three were the first for me. Then on Hulk, Sal Buscema was my favorite, so him. Then when Frank Miller's style became noticeable on Daredevil in 1980, he became a favorite creator of mine by name. After that, John Byrne and many others.

Probably the Captain America cover that said "Jack "King" Kirby is Back!" that cemented it for me.

For me, Herb Trimpe (Godzilla) and Jack Kirby (Devil Dinosaur). I loved those books when I was eight.

Yeah, I liked checking out collections of old comics from the library and it was very interesting for me to see the first ever Superman, Batman, Hulk, etc. story.

I can't remember which creator was first, but I'd guess Stan Lee and/or Jack Kirby.

Has to be Stan Lee. I think I knew who he was before I ever even read a comic book.

That question wasn't directed at you, Jeff.

That answer wasn't directed at you, Doot.

I dunno. When I was a kid, creators were big. It was right before the Image creators broke away and Wizard Magazine was telling us who all these guys were. So, I can't remember a time that I've read comics where I wasn't aware of who the creators were. Though I didn't really care about them until later.

Well, that explains why you quoted me in your answer.

It was for the benefit of those who have you foed, so they could see your words of "brilliance".

No one has called me brilliant, so there was no reason to put that word in quotes. You are not quoting anyone.

But that is a good call on the foe thing. I should've thought of that.

First creator that I noticed by name was Art Adams. I was an "art first" comic book fan until I was about 18 or 19. First writer was almost certainly Chris Claremont.

As of now, I'd say I'm 90% creator driven, 10% character, with the creator part being split maybe 80/20 between writers and artists.