I just answered this creator or character question elsewhere, so I’ll post it here too.
My answer: both, or neither. I follow both creators and characters to a degree, but I don’t literally follow either everywhere for the most part. Of course, what’s important is that the book is good. So, we give credit to the people making the book. But if, say, two good teams happen to be on one book back-to-back, I’m technically following the character. Some jump off the book when the creator they follow leaves, I like to take a look at what the next team will do with the characters. And the characters I like are why I’m sticking around to try the next run. So, bit of both.
Characters or creators is an old question you see brought up in regards to comics a lot. For me, the question is “Read good comics that you like?”, and the answer is “yes I do.”
Robert Kirkman is obviously the man, Invincible being one of my favorite books. But I’m not gonna pick up a book just because it says Robert Kirkman on it. I didn’t dig Astounding Wolfman, or various things, but I have loved much of his work. I guess by following him, you could say I’ll at least look at the 6-page preview for anything else he launches. But I’m not literally following him.
For a series with a rotating cast of writers, let’s take Witchblade. I follow the character of Witchblade’s wielder, Sara Pezzini, to a degree. For example Ron Marz recently had a long run, and when he left Tim Seeley came on. Since I like what both of them have done with it, the creator change didn’t stop me from sticking around. Plus I was already a fan of Tim’s. But if a writer I’m not into or have heard of is on Witchblade, I will still check out a preview just because it says Witchblade on the cover, much like how I’ll check out a preview just because it says Robert Kirkman on the cover.
Long story short, Kirkman should write some Witchblade sometime.
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