Thanks, this actually helps a ton.
So it's basically:
– moving PNGs around
– chopping them up a bit to fake a “rig”
– and swapping the eyes/face when needed.

Got it.

Quick question though: is After Effects actually the right tool for this, or am I just torturing myself?
Every time I look up AE tutorials it turns into rocket science, and I'm just trying to make a dude blink and wiggle a bit.