I think the other big hangup that I'm having, is artistic merit. Don't get me wrong, I like the two pieces I've made so far, but objectively speaking, they're sub par. The final products came out wavy (and I think a bit too glossy too, to be honest) and I think if you took them to an art critic and said “What do you think about the composition of these pieces?” the art critic would respond with “There's supposed to be composition here?” I feel like that in order to justify the amount of time these take and that I have to spend money and destroy comics to make them, they need to be good.

I hear you. I've been making music in some form for the best part of 10 years. These sort of feelings towards one's own work never goes away. Sometimes it is temporarily abated after a success, but it always lingers in the pack of the mind. I can only imagine that's exacerbated if one was to feel a sense of 'guilt' in regards to their process.

Perhaps a way to get around that would be draft your pieces digitally of or using photocopies? Then once you're happy you can use the real comics cut-outs.

There are much more talented people out there who make more from less

I have no doubt that there are. I also have no doubt they're more experienced that you. Or they might've specialised in area you haven't. Or they could have profession tuition and feedback. Or... Comparing your work to that of the people you admire or even your peers can be fast track to a loss of self-confidence. Use other's work inspire you, or to analyse technically, but never to compare. In my experience it only ever leaves me feeling inadequate.

I wouldn't worry whether you think your work is art or whether art critic would think it's good. At the end of day such classifications mean very little unless one wants to try and make living out of artistic pursuits. And even then, those things come naturally out of the practitioners experience with their art-form rather than something that is intentionally attained.