Great post! :) I fully agree with this:

Yes! I said copying!!
Copying is a veeeeeeery very important feature from artists. We weren't born knowing how a skull is, how to place a good perspective, how to make good features in the face of a woman. We learned all that with time, patience and A LOOOOOOOOT of frustration.

I remember as a kid I used to pause DBZ (which I had recorded on a VHS) and copied away like there was no tomorrow! :P Even made my own comic like that once from the TV Show/anime Shin-Chan, I just paused the right clips, added text bubbles and a tv show was suddently a comic in my hand. :) It's a great way for learning and having something you can read many years later, hehe. :)