Need some help with an isometric character

[Lashloch]

Roughed out some small isometric dudes in greyscale for an RPG project. I'm fairly happy with 6 out of 8 directions (still WIP), but the side-on (left/right) figures don't read like humans. Spent a lot of time on it to no avail. What am I doing wrong?

Also, I forgot to add torso details on most of them. 

OK:


Not OK:

[MysteryMeat]

Looking at it I think your problem is that the arm is too high and they ain't got a neck
You're also working too hard to try and fit it wholly into the cuboid shape of the other angles, try rounding that head off just a bit around the bottom edge