._.
Or maybe it's the simple fact that some mods ARE better than others, and there's nothing wrong with withholding your own created content if you feel you did well with it and don't want others using it.
And a "staple" of what he looks like? What, did we announce that Noxid's design is supreme canon or something? Maybe you like his design, maybe a bunch of other people like his design. But I don't believe it really counts as a "staple".
Look, being neighborly and all is good. People make art or transcribe music or just help out a good amount of the time. But believing that help to be mandatory or expected is wholly stupid. It destroys the whole thought behind favors in the first place. If someone refuses to give some art they made, or doesn't feel like spending time making an ORG for a mod they don't care about, just suck it up and keep trying yourself.
Now, Noxid's Arthur design isn't really copyrighted, nor do I believe he has any intention of copyrighting it. (Can he even do that?) In fact, I doubt he would mind that much about giving the sprite. But why not just attempt to make your own sprite Arthur first? Heck, why ask for a double resolution sprite if your mod is 1×?
Point is:yes, we're a group kinda. No, we're not necessarily working together. No, there's nothing wrong with trying to be better. And no, everyone is perfectly entitled to refrain from giving content that you made - not even for the benefit of everyone.
[/uselessrant]
And I'm sorry. But your last paragraph especially somewhat stabbed my mojo.