I've been doing a lot of playing with making comic book style images lately. I do it all in one layer. Apply TA Spicy, then use Photoshop's "Poster Edges" filter, then apply TA Simplify or Smooth & Flat, then Poster Edges again, and then one more pass with TA Portrait Smooth or Color Blast. Sure, it's totally over the top, but I think it's fun.
This is just too fun!! I love everything about this, the angle, the colors, the treatment, and that fluffy tail. Thanks for sharing your process, I'm going to have to try that out.