ADVERTISEMENT

Sometimes, the funniest stories come from the most unexpected places—and in this case, from the fruit bowl. Cartoonist John King has turned everyday foods and objects into hilariously mischievous characters, giving us a glimpse into what might happen when produce goes just a little… rotten. His comic series Fruit Gone Bad has become a favorite among readers, thanks to its clever humor, cheeky twists, and delightfully expressive artwork.

Bored Panda readers have loved these comics so much that many of them quickly became some of the most upvoted posts on our site. To celebrate, we’ve gathered some of the very best strips from across the series—so grab a snack (maybe not a banana) and enjoy this collection of fan-favorite Fruit Gone Bad moments.

More info: Instagram

#1

Two fuzzy yellow creatures in a comic from Fruit Gone Bad, one invites to play a game, the other looks tired and skeptical.

fruitgonebad Report

Serial pacifist
Community Member
1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He certainly doesn’t have needle dysfunction, judging by the number of mini haystascks

View more comments

John King started Fruit Gone Bad almost by accident. He first drew comics about apples being invaded by worms or celery stalking, simply playing with visual puns—friends saw them and thought they were “cute,” which encouraged him to build more of them. Over time, the jokes evolved: he doesn’t just rely on the fruit’s appearance, but tries to give them little personalities, to make scenarios both absurd and oddly relatable.

RELATED:
    #2

    Two cartoon cucumbers in bed with seeds spilled on the floor, from the Fruit Gone Bad comic series.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #3

    Cartoon fruit characters in a comic scene having a secret guac meeting with humorous dialogue, fruit gone bad style.

    fruitgonebad Report

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Though wholly self-taught, John has grown his craft steadily. He’s said he’s “never took classes,” instead learning from mistakes, reading, and borrowing ideas—observing life—so that even everyday objects can feel funny or strange depending on the twist. One of his favourite parts of the creative process is finding just the right wording to match the visual, then colouring and cleaning up.

    What makes John King’s work stand out is this mix of innocence and edge: the artwork is simple, the characters familiar (an apple, a banana, peas), but then comes the twist—dark humour, weirdness, unexpected personality traits. It’s a balance he seems to chase deliberately: something that makes you laugh, but also think “Wait, I never pictured a carrot behaving like that.” Or “Why did I just see myself in that strawberry’s thoughts?”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Finally, one thing fans seem to love is that John does not over-explain. The comics are quick glances, usually a single panel or small scene, but they hit because you fill in the rest with your own experience. Also, while apples are among his favourite fruit-characters (because they offer “versatility and expressiveness”), sometimes the less loved fruit offer the richest comic potential—just the kind John digs into.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #9

    Cartoon gingerbread man and woman in bed with crumbs, depicting a comic from Fruit Gone Bad series about funny fruit humor.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #10

    Cartoon of twisted fruit characters on a beach, showcasing humor from Fruit Gone Bad comics series.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #12

    Cartoon carrots with facial expressions above and below ground, showcasing twisted humor from Fruit Gone Bad comics.

    fruitgonebad Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #13

    Dandelion characters in a Fruit Gone Bad comic making humorous puns about getting blown by the wind in a green field.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #16

    Four animated candles on a mantelpiece with holiday lights, one candle smoking and another asking a question in a comic style.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Bill Swallow
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Is this one of those snuff flicks?

    #17

    Cartoon pasta characters around a campfire in a forest, humorously discussing breaking spaghetti in boiling water.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #18

    Three animated pickles in a jar humorously discuss drinking pickle juice in a twisted Fruit Gone Bad comic style.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pickle juice will never be the same again

    #19

    Cartoon fruit characters in a therapy session discussing unfulfilled needs in a hilariously twisted Fruit Gone Bad comic.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #20

    Cartoon hot dogs with faces and speech bubbles, showcasing twisted humor from Fruit Gone Bad comics at night under a crescent moon.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #21

    Cartoon carrots with faces underground, one saying think big, a rodent watching, comic from Fruit Gone Bad series.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Bill Swallow
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Things could have gotten interesting if a carrot had grown *through* The Ring.

    #22

    Animated comic of two Christmas trees, one outside snowy and angry, one inside decorated, illustrating twisted humor from Fruit Gone Bad comics.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #23

    Two funny potato characters fix a leaking pipe with a leek inside in a fruit gone bad comic scene.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #24

    Cartoon comic from Fruit Gone Bad series showing a coffee cup with a sign about pretentious frappuccino orders.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #25

    Loaf of bread lying on couch with angry bread standing nearby in a twisted fruit gone bad comic scene.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    His role model was a couch potato.

    View more comments
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #27

    Two cartoon garlic characters in a room, one sitting on a chair, humorously discussing cloves in a fruit gone bad comic.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #28

    Two fruit characters in a morgue examining a slice of pizza in this fruit gone bad comic with dark humor.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #29

    Comic strip of tomatoes humorously debating what came first, featuring twisted fruit gone bad characters.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #30

    Cartoon donut and egg in bed with speech bubbles, part of Fruit Gone Bad comics series with twisted humor.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #32

    Cartoon fruit and vegetable characters in a funny staring contest scene from Fruit Gone Bad comics.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #33

    Cartoon of kitchen utensils talking in a holder with a funny twisted fruit gone bad comic style.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #35

    Cartoon of fruit characters in a meeting, one pointing to a chart labeled apple pie, showing fruit gone bad humor.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #36

    Cartoon of fruits and herbs with an avocado speaking in a comic from Fruit Gone Bad series.

    fruitgonebad Report

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #37

    Carrot family comic scene by fireplace with a parent asking about daughter's curfew, illustrating fruit gone bad humor.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Bill Swallow
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The Carrot equivalent of a Bat'leth.

    #38

    Three red peppers with faces on a plant humorously discussing manure in a fruit gone bad comic.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #39

    Hilariously twisted fruit gone bad comic showing a cherry and cake arguing about being on top and sharing a piece.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #40

    Two funny cartoon cucumbers in bed eating watermelon, showcasing fruit gone bad in a hilariously twisted comic style.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The book is 50 Shades of Pink.

    #42

    Bananas anthropomorphized in a bar setting, featuring a comic twist on fruit-themed humor and playful wordplay.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #43

    Cartoon of anthropomorphic hot sauce bottles with angry expressions, featuring comedic fruit gone bad comic style humor.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #44

    Cartoon of angry bread slice on a couch complaining about the smell while another slice toasts in a toaster, fruit gone bad comic.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #46

    Cartoon lettuce leaves in bed with a humorous dialogue, showcasing twisted humor from Fruit Gone Bad comics.

    fruitgonebad Report

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #47

    Cartoon featuring fruit characters humorously commenting on inflated chip packaging in a twisted comic style.

    fruitgonebad Report

    Bill Swallow
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very Depressing True Fact: Lay's is undergoing a rebranding because many of their customers don't know that 'Lay's Chips' are made from Potatoes. This society is doomed.

    #48

    Cartoon from Fruit Gone Bad comics showing an eggplant comforting a sad crushed red pepper at sunset on a garden wall.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #49

    Two pumpkins in bed with one asking if the other wants pumpkin pie in a twisted Fruit Gone Bad comic.

    fruitgonebad Report

    #50

    Cartoon comic from Fruit Gone Bad showing seeds underground with funny speech bubbles and a bird pulling a sprout.

    fruitgonebad Report