I've been mulling over why Kate Beaton's work, and especially her character art floors me so much, even though there are now lots of artists with similar styles. Here's what I think it is: what's astonishing in her work is that it somehow sneaks a massive amount of subtlety into characters who are ludicrous.
Consider this classic:
@ZachWeinersmith agreed, and I think there’s also something at work here which I can only chalk up to “instinct,” or “having a good eye.”
I like to believe that all arts skills are teachable, that “talent” is just an intangible term we use to blanket a lot of tangible ideas, but I can’t look at too much of her stuff without just thinking, “ahh, she’s just got “it.””
Zach Weinersmith
Tony Cliff