Icons are interesting things. However, to me, of more interest is their place in history. At the Seal University I studied the early Byzantine Empire and icons' significance in the complex whirl of their politics cannot be understimated( I think). At its height the extreme followers had a theory known as "acheiropoieta"  which allows for, at the very least, the possibility of icons' divine not human origin. Of couse, perhaps this view is not so extreme if the history of relics in the Western Church or even divine authorship of scared texts are considered.
The picture above is from the 12th Century and is to be found in the monastery of St Catherine in Egypt. It shows monks attempting to enter their celestial reward and the fallen angels attempting to derail them to the other place with ropes, tridents and even through their archery skills.
The other picture is more familiar and, to me more comforting. With the sharp decline of religion in the West icons are now largely an academic or artistic interest rather than being objects of piety or instruction in faith. However the human need for projection and comfort lasts and I feel perhaps "soft toys" now have the role that the likes of icons once had. I know this as I have many such things( two more obtained yesterday- a mother polar bear with baby- Lottie and Lulu). They certainly have their own characteristics and are a constant source of comfort to me. And, I'm sure, if you are honest I'm not alone...