I also personally believe it's just a matter of preference and that's okay! Thank you for reading though ^^
I mean, you could always put in the ability to disable character portraits. I think it's fine as it is, but wouldn't object to some visual stimulus either. That said, getting an artist can be tricky and expensive. Or even doing it yourself is a lot of work. Regardless of the choice, you've got a good piece of work and a following, so remember that it's your vision that matters the most here Al.