For starters, I am having a dark background, and I need the blocks to pop out [almost 3D] and I need help with getting more information into my character. [The green guy]

This is a cut from an ingame screenshot. For starters, I am more then willing to add colors and shades to the character, and I am open to suggestions of the block. Although, if I may request it, I'd like to keep that perspective, since I've already built the engine. But if it's absolutely needed, I'll change the perspective. The graphics are base 42x42.
I want to thank you for your help on my other topic, the maggot boss has actually gone quite well [I'd upload the picture, but I'm at work].
These are clearly not the final graphics but merely placeholder graphics. I've given myself until the end of August to perfect these graphics [most of that time will go towards level design].
If any of you have any images of runestones, or any old carved rocks, I'd like to see if you can get me something more exotic then the google/wikipedia fare. As for the character, he's just wearing puffy pants, a la Prince of Persia/Aladdin 16-bit style. And yes, I know this is a gunstar edit [I did make the editing myself, I'd know] and it's only temporary until I finish my good quality versions.
So, edits, suggestions, improvements, all that jazz. I'd like to see where I should start making this guy anew.