2022 EDIT: I'm clearing out some of my books, and I'm afraid I've decided to give this series away, especially since I've read in the author's blog posts that they won't be finishing 'Cucumber Quest', at least not for a while. No plans seem to have been made yet. No more paperback volumes are being published either. Oh well, 'Cucumber Quest' remains a funny, cute, subversive and heartwarming cartoony webcomic series, but I will no longer be continuing it.
Original Review:
OMG this is so cute and hilarious! Why isn't it more popular?
'Cucumber Quest' is a children's comic that parodies the hero's journey in the fantasy genre, and it is spectacularly fun to read.
In the world of Dreamside, Cucumber is a shy kid and aspiring wizard who wants to go to school, after studying hard for admission. But he is suddenly called on by his criminal dad, Lord Cabbage, to go on an epic quest to stop the evil "Queen" Cordelia from taking over Dreamside, using some runes/stones and a Nightmare Knight. The whole thing seems like one of dad's selfish schemes cooked up to receive fame and fortune, throwing his son in the dragon's lair in the process. An unhelpful, useless, lazy, clueless and careless oracle character is a further ice pick in poor Cucumber's side.
He can't fight, doesn't want to fight, has the most common sense out of all of the characters, and he just wants a normal life (well, normal for someone with bunny ears in a food-based world); and he always gets the short end of the stick for it.
Luckily, or unluckily, Cucumber's little sister Almond is more the legendary hero type, and she wants to go on this epic adventure, sword in hand, dragging her brother along for the ride. Convention goes that little sisters don't go on quests and become legendary heroes, but Almond'll prove that fairy tale wrong. Whatever the cost, for a not-boring story...
Man, runes ruin everything.
The art in 'Cucumber Quest: The Doughnut Kingdom' is colourful, soft, palatable, and freaking cute and sweet. I adore the cartoony, watercolour artwork. The various characters reflect this aesthetic:
A cowardly but gold-hearted knight (Carrot), a strawberry-themed princess in distress (Parfait), an arrogant guard trio (Tomato, Lettuce and Bacon), two female bakers (Baguette and Tartelette), an evil sorceress (Cordelia, duh), a flying little green witch (Peridot), a giant teddy bear in the woods (Grizzlygum), a female cat burglar and urban legend (Saturday), a too-cheerful boat travel receptionist, and a creepy boy genius (Cosmo) - all make up an hysterically funny cast in an incredible comedy comic for all ages. I don't know about anyone else, but I love their names!
The only thing I didn't like about it is the cliffhanger ending. Don't end my investment in an abrupt snap like that! Typical. I was hoping that that would be parodied or subverted as well. Another place to break the fourth wall.
For a good laugh and a fun, sweet time, read 'Cucumber Quest: The Doughnut Kingdom'. If you like 'Adventure Time' and other Cartoon Network shows, definitely give it a go. Cheery and energetic, what a smoothie in comic form!
Final Score: 4/5
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