I mean, not that time has elapsed between now and when I was starting out. This probably sounds like a typical cartoonist humblebrag, but I’m young! I feel like I’m still starting out!
Anyways, to my memory I focused on straightforward things like drawing well and figuring out the basic mechanics of comics like panel-to-panel storytelling. I was less worried about things like plot or theme, probably because it’s easier to see you’ve drawn a hand weird and erase it that it is to realize you’re writing bad dialogue or that your story isn’t compelling.
Now, among other things, I try to be more aware and purposeful (without, hopefully, being too self-conscious or pretentious) about Bigger Questions like what kind of work I want to make and giving that work depth and personal significance.