You're "screwed" if you're insincere about it.
There's no concrete way to get subs, after all. And as you stated, people will come and stay if they like your work. And it can take a while to get subs. People who have "overnight success" most definitely failed before and most definitely had a following buildup that might've followed them over.
Sincerity also plays a big part in that build-up.
You have to be sincere in interacting with the community and with potential readers. You really shouldn't go into this just thinking "ok! if I do this and that, these people will help me get subs!" I mean, you can, but people will pick up on it.
It's kinda a calculated way to view this process, especially giving that it just takes time to get noticed and build a following. It can come off as "oh, this person only wants to do this for subs. They don't really care about the subject at hand"
A few people have already given some good advice, and I'll add this on: take a small breather and ask yourself this:
- Do I wanna make comics for the subs, or do I actually enjoy making comics?
A lot of people go into this for the subs and subs only (maybe for the income, maybe for the popularity). But it's a long-haul, and you actually have to enjoy what you do despite that.
So instead of thinking first about how to get subs, think first about how you can show your passion to other creators and readers. Talk with people because you're interested in their work. Networking plays a part in it, but don't network if you're disinterested. Even more, try and get other people out there because you think they deserve some time in the spotlight as well (not because you think they'll promote you back).