I did this on another forum, might as well share it here.

Here’s my list. While I like nice figure drawing like everyone else, I’m more attracted to bold and interesting creative choices – the perfect blend of great drawing with pop art abstraction.

1) Jack Kirby (by a massive margin)
2) Wally Wood
3) Mike Mignola
4) John Byrne (1977 thru 1994)
5) Frank Quitely
6) John Romita Sr.
7) Arthur Adams
8) Frank Cho
9) Mark Schultz
10) John Romita Jr.
11) Steve Rude
12) Neal Adams (60s-70s)
13) Richard Corben
14) John Severin
15) John Buscema (especially with Alcala)
16) Mike Allred
17) Steve Ditko
18) Darwyn Cooke
19) Dave Stevens
20) Ed McGuinness
21) Curt Swan (especially with George Klein and John Forte)
22) Jose Ladronn
23) John Bolton
24) Walt Simonson
25) Joe Madureira

Honorable mentions for favorite artists whose work I love most was outside of comic book magazines -- Frank Frazetta, Hal Foster, Alex Raymond, Bruce Timm and Al Williamson.

Most of my favorite inkers are already listed above, but those who aren’t in no particular order -- George Klein, Joe Sinnott, Terry Austin, Karl Kesel, Alfredo Alcala, Tom Palmer, Mike Royer, John Forte, Tim Townsend, and probably several others I can’t recall.

That's a good list. A bit like my Pinterest folders. I'd probably move John Buscema into the top ten and add Joe Kubert in somewhere.

Here it is with what I feel are the artist’s definitive or best art jobs added in that best illustrate why I like them (no pun intended).

1) Jack Kirby (by a massive margin) — Fantastic Four, Kamandi, Fourth World line, OMAC, The Demon, Sky Masters and Challengers of the Unknown
2) Wally Wood — EC, Cannon, Mad Magazine, Sky Masters and Challengers of the Unknown
3) Mike Mignola — Hellboy
4) John Byrne (1977 thru 1994) — Uncanny X-Men, Captain America, OMAC, Danger Unlimited, Namor, Superman and Legends with Karl Kesel
5) Frank Quitely — Flex Mentallo, All Star Superman, Jupiter’s Legacy
6) John Romita Sr. — Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Commercial Illustration
7) Arthur Adams — Jonni Future, Ultimate X, Monkeyman & O’Brien, Commissions & Art Books
8) Frank Cho — Savage Wolverine, New Ultimates, Mighty Avengers, Shanna the She-Devil, Covers & Art Books
9) Mark Schultz — Xenozoic, Commissions & Art Books
10) John Romita Jr. — Mighty Thor, Daredevil, Punisher, Hulk
11) Steve Rude — Nexus, Marvel Minis (Spider-Man: Lifeline, Thor: Godstorm, etc.), Commissions & Art Books
12) Neal Adams (60s-70s) — Uncanny X-Men, Batman, Tarzan and Conan Covers
13) Richard Corben — Bloodstar, Den, Hellboy
14) John Severin — Cracked Magazine, Hulk, Kull
15) John Buscema (especially with Alcala) — Conan, Thor, Avengers
16) Mike Allred — Madman, X-Force, DC Solo
17) Steve Ditko — Dr. Strange, Amazing Spider-Man, Shade the Changing Man, Creepy Magazine
18) Darwyn Cooke — New Frontier, The Spirit, Parker the Hunter
19) Dave Stevens — Rocketeer, Art Books
20) Ed McGuinness — Mr. Majestic, Superman, Hulk
21) Curt Swan (especially with George Klein and John Forte) — Superman
22) Jose Ladronn — Cable, After Incal, Planet Hulk Covers
23) John Bolton — Kull, Marada the She-Wolf
24) Walt Simonson — Thor, Orion, Ragnarok
25) Joe Madureira — Uncanny X-Men, Battlechasers

The only ones I would drop (but respect) are Joe Mad, McGuiness, Ladronn and Quitely. They are absolutely worthy but I would add Kubert, Williamson (for Flash Gordon), Garcia-Lopez and George Pérez. I mean to chose between them is like splitting hairs. And even I left off Russ Manning and Gene Colan.

On second thought, I'd replace Williamson with Colan, since he has,done so many more comics.

I took Buscema for granted when I was younger. He is top 5 in my opinion.

I love many of the artists on Hanzo's list though. I like the same kind of art styles and tend to bump them up based on what I like.

There are five comic book artists whose styles I really truly love, and I can't arrange them in any kind of permanent order:

Steve Ditko
Carmine Infantino
Gil Kane
Curt Swan
Murphy Anderson

There are so many others whom I like a lot, like a little, like depending on which characters they're doing, but they're not a part of me like those five above are.

I'm kind of the same way. There are so many artists I like but there are 5-10 that are most important.

I'm actually the same way, the order often changes with only one constant -- Kirby on top by a huge margin.

Kirby is the same for me.

James, where is Erik Larsen on your list?

I would find it difficult to rate any of them in any particular order, but here's my top 25, undoubtedly missing someone I'll kick myself for.

Neal Adams
John Buscema
Jack Kirby
Carl Barks
Curt Swan
George Perez
Wally Wood
John Romita (sr)
Darwyn Cooke
Will Eisner
Bernie Wrightson
Dave Gibbons
Joe Kubert
Gene Colan
Brian Bolland
John Byrne (prime only)
Adam Hughes
Todd McFarlane
Steve Ditko
Tony Harris
Mark Buckingham
Al Williamson
Dave Stevens
Russ Heath
Jim Steranko

Probably top 50.

Okay. I gave it a shot, restricting myself primarily to the stuff that I own. I really like the work, for example, of a lot of early
Golden Age artists Like Mac Raboy, Lou Fine, Joe Maneely, Matt Baker, but I just haven't seen enough to include them.
In general, this is a very subjective list, and would change if I thought about it again in about an hour.

Comic Book Artists
01. Steve Ditko (Amazing Fantasy, Early Charlton Horror, Spider-Man, Warren, …)
02. Carl Barks (Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck)
03. Wally Wood (Daredevil, EC, All-Star Comics, inking Ditko)
04. Gil Kane (Spider-Man, Green Lantern, Atom, Marvel 1970s covers, horses)
05. Dave Stevens (Rocketeer)
06. Nestor Redondo (Rima the Jungle Girl, Swamp Thing)
07. Russ Manning (Magnus)
08. Neal Adams (Batman, X-Men)
09. Alex Toth (Zorro, Animation Design work)
10. Walt Kelly (Fairy Tale Funnies, Santa Claus Funnies, Pogo)
11. Barry Windsor Smith (Machine Man, Conan)
12. John Romita Sr (Spider-Man, attractive women, Daredevil)
13. Jim Steranko (Captain America, Nick Fury)
14. Jack Kirby (Boys’ Ranch, Sandman, Demon, Fantastic Four)
15. Steve Rude (retro Marvel work, Nexus)
16. George Perez (Avengers, New Teen Titans, Crisis)
17. John Buscema (Avengers, Silver Surfer, Conan)
18. P. Craig Russell (Ring of Nibelung, Dr. Strange, Marvel Feature)
19. Michael Kaluta (Shadow, Starstruck)
20. Walter Simonson (Manhunter, Thor, Dr. Fate)
21. Carmine Infantino (Batgirl, Batman, Flash)
22. Stephen R. Bissette (Swamp Thing)
23. Joe Kubert (Hawkman, Blitzkrieg, Tarzan, Rima covers)
24. Bob Layton (Iron Man, Hercules, Avengers)
25. David Lloyd (V for Vendetta, Night Raven)

Comic Book Inkers
01. Wally Wood
02. Joe Sinnott
03. Tom Palmer
04. Murphy Anderson
05. Terry Austin
06. Kevin Nowlan
07. Klaus Janson
08. Jerry Ordway
09. Joe Simon
10. Steve Leialoha

No particular order, and really just off the top of my head, these are the guys that really made me say "wow" more than any other artist:

John Byrne
Walt Simonson
John Romita, Jr
Art Adams
Alan Davis
Bryan Hitch
Tom Grummett
Barry Windsor-Smith
Alex Ross
Frank Cho
Rick Leonardi
Mike Mignola
John Cassaday
Geoff Darrow
Mike Wieringo
Frank Quitely
Jerry Ordway
Paul Pelletier
Trevor Hairsine
Marc Silvestri
Erik Larsen
Bill Sinkievich
Mark Texeira
Jim Lee
Gary Frank
Dale Keown
Ed McGuiness

Some that matter ( or at one time mattered ) to me:

Jack Kirby
Curt Swan
Neal Adams
Jim Aparo
John Romita Sr
George Perez
Gill Kane
Alex Ross
José Luis García-López
Frank Quietly
Brian Hitch
Murphy Anderson
Frank Miller
John Byrne
John Buscema
Irv Novick
Dick Dillon
Jim Starlin

Here we go,
1. Jack Kirby
2. Steve Ditko
3. John Buscema
4. Will Eisner
5. Gil Kane
6. John Romita, Sr
7. Joe Kubert
8. Neal Adams
9. Jim Steranko
10. Steve Rude
11. Wally Wood
12. Walt Simonson
13. John Romita, Jr
14. Al Williamson
15. Gene Colan
16. José Luis Garcia-Lopez
17. Jerry Ordway
18. Lee Weeks
19. Jim Starlin
20. Art Adams
21. Alan Davis
22. Mark Schultz
23. George Pérez
24. Russ Manning
25. Curt Swan

Although, I numbered the list anything after the first ten are fluid. I could easily put Byrne, BWS, Toth, Timm and Mignola on my list. Though Byrne's awful commissions drop him down.

Inkers,
1. Joe Sinnott
2. Wally Wood
3. Will Eisner
4. Tom Palmer
5. Al Williamson
6, Frank Giacoia
7. Murphy Anderson
8. Jerry Ordway
9. John Romita, Sr
10. Terry Austin
11. Dick Giordano
12. Bob Wiacek
13. George Klein
14. Mark Farmer
15. Dan Adkins
16. Klaus Janson
17. Mike Royer
18. Kevin Nowlan
19. Bob Layton
20. Dan Green

Reading through Werewolf By Night, I am reminded how much I like Mike Ploog. Really brings back
a taste of the 1970s for me, when I was able to at least glance through my brother and my sister's
early issues of Monster of Frankstein, Werewolf By Night, and Ghost Rider, plus my own issues of
Man-Thing. Good stuff by Ploog. Sometimes his work looks rushed—which it likely was to make a
publishing deadline—but most of the time, it's just exquisite, especially when he's inking his own art.

I'm not a fan of the kinds of stories that he was mostly tapped to work on, but he did do some remarkable work on them.

One reviewer of his work commented on what a "wonderful name" he had.

Ploog assisted for Will Eisner on P.S. Magazine for the US Army and really picked up Will'send inking style. Also, checking his Wikipedia page, Ploog was born in Mankato, MN.