Development
In an interview with io9, Gigi D.G. said that the initial idea for Cucumber Quest developed from playing video games during childhood. The comic uses the structure of a hero's journey, which allowed D.G. to challenge reader expectations and incorporate humor into the story.
In 2012, Gigi D.G. launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of 10,000 USD to self-publish the first volume of Cucumber Quest. The campaign raised 62,953 USD. In October 2017, First Second Books began publishing a new physical release of Cucumber Quest.
In 2016, Gigi D.G. created a one-shot webcomic titled Lady of the Shard. The infinite canvas webcomic uses a palette limited to two or three colors at a time and was included in ComicsAlliance's 2016 list of outstanding cartoonists.
In 2019, Gigi D.G. announced plans to discontinue Cucumber Quest as a comic and conclude the story in an illustrated script format, citing changes in their personal circumstances.
Reception
Larry Cruz of Comic Book Resources praised the comic's humor and visual style and recommended it for its artwork. Lauren Davis of io9 described the comic as suitable for children while also containing moments that raise questions for adult readers.
Davis included Cucumber Quest in an io9 list of webcomics considered overlooked by the Eisner Awards. Davis also included it in a list of webcomics considered suitable for television adaptation, suggesting that it would fit alongside animated series such as Adventure Time and Steven Universe.. Louie Zong, a storyboard artist for the Cartoon Network series We Bare Bears, said that reading Cucumber Quest inspired him to become an artist.
