I should start by saying I have zero artistic capability, even less knowledge of artistic technique (comicbook or otherwise), and therefore no standing to artistically critique. I only know what I do and don't enjoy looking at.
In the 1970s-1980s, I didn't like Gene Colan. I much preferred artists like Buscema, Perez and Bryne, whose images were crisp, vivid, and photorealistic (except for the way costumes caught every muscular cut ). Colan bugged me because he hid too much in shadows for my taste, and the images were sometimes hard to resolve. I've been rereading a lot of old Marvel and DC lately, starting from the 1960s and am now up to 1982, and it's changed my mind about Colan.
Maybe it's just the change in my tastes over time, but there are things Colan is ideally suited to. I've decided his work has a mood to it, and it worked especially well for characters like Batman and Moon Knight. IMO, he's best for stories of mystery, noir, and mysticism.
So is there anybody you've learned to love? If so, why?