Iconic Rookies: 1990 Topps The Simpsons #1 – Bartman Sticker

There are a lot of big superhero names on this Iconic Rookies list – Superman, Batman, Bartman.

Yes, really.

For kids who grew up in the early 90s, Bart Simpson in full Bartman mode was as important as any cape in comics. And in 1990, Topps quietly gave him a perfect little cardboard debut:

1990 Topps The Simpsons #1 – Bartman Sticker.

Bartman’s First Real Cardboard Appearance

The Simpsons technically started as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, but the full-blown cultural takeover kicked off with the series launch at the end of 1989. By 1990, Topps was already there with a dedicated Simpsons release.

Front and center in that product is the first sticker in the checklist: “Bartman – Avenger of Evil.” That makes this sticker a very strong candidate for Bartman’s rookie:

• #1 in the sticker set – Topps clearly thought it was important.
• Solo character shot, no family group scene or background chaos.
• Uses the Bartman identity, not just standard Bart art.
• Released right as the TV show was exploding into full-blown phenomenon.

As a result, this isn’t just an early Simpsons collectible – it’s basically the origin card for Bart’s superhero persona.

The 1990 Topps Simpsons Set

Topps treated The Simpsons the same way they treated every big entertainment property in that era: full wax-box release, colorful base cards, and a run of stickers meant to end up on trapper keepers and bedroom doors.

• Year: 1990
• Manufacturer: Topps
• Configuration: Standard base set + peel-off stickers
• Focus: Early character art and gags from the first wave of episodes and marketing

Within the sticker subset, Sticky #1 is the star: Bart in costume, front and center, with the word “Bartman” taking up most of the real estate. Everything about the design is loud, simple, and extremely on-brand for early Simpsons merch.

What’s on the Bartman Sticker?

The design is instantly recognizable even at arm’s length:

• Grey, doodle-style background filled with stars, spirals, and scribbles.
• Big red hand-lettered title across the top: BARTMAN.
• Underneath, a tagline: “AVENGER OF EVIL”.
• Bart in costume: purple mask and cape, blue shorts, arms crossed, attitude for days.
• Speech bubble on the left: “WATCH IT, DUDE.”

It looks less like a typical trading card and more like something ripped off the side of a 1990 school folder – which is exactly why it works so well. It captures Bart at his most marketable: sarcastic, overconfident, and ready to cause trouble.

PSA Pop Report & Set Page

If you want to see how many Bartman stickers have been graded, and how tough high grades really are, head over to PSA’s population report:

PSA – Card Population & Price Guides

Once you’re there, search for “1990 Topps Simpsons” and click into the set / sticker pop page. You’ll get:

• Population by grade for the full 1990 Topps Simpsons release.
• A breakdown for the Bartman sticker (#1) specifically.
• Links to auction price data so you can see real-world sales.

Expect to see a decent number of graded copies overall, but a much tighter population in the very top grades thanks to how stickers were handled and stored.

Condition: Why High-Grade Bartman Isn’t as Easy as It Looks

On paper, this should be an easy card to find: early 90s, mass-market, printed in bulk. In reality, a lot of these got wrecked.

• Peel-and-stick factor. Tons were peeled and stuck on binders, lockers, and anything else with a flat surface.
• Edge wear. Sticker stock is prone to little nicks along the border from handling and shuffling.
• Surface issues. Glossy fronts can pick up scratches and indentations very easily.
• Off-center cuts. Like most mass-printed sets of the time, centering isn’t always perfect.

The end result: raw copies are everywhere, but truly clean, well-centered candidates for PSA 9–10 aren’t stacked in every shoebox.

Why Bartman Matters in the Iconic Rookies Lineup

The Simpsons isn’t just a TV show – it’s a 30+ year cultural force. Bart, specifically, was the face of the early 90s: T-shirts, bootleg merch, school bans, “Underachiever and proud of it.”

Bartman captures a very particular moment inside that moment:

• The peak of “Bart as anti-hero” marketing.
• The early seasons where the show still felt slightly dangerous to adults.
• The crossover between cartoons, superhero parody, and skate-punk attitude.

From a character-rookie perspective, this sticker is the first mainstream, headlining cardboard that puts the Bartman persona front and center. That makes it the natural Simpsons entry in a binder full of Yoda, Rocky, Indy, Marty McFly, Keaton Batman, and Chunk.

Collecting Ideas: Building Around Bartman

If you want to build a little mini PC around this card, here are a few fun angles:

• Simpsons rookies. Pair Bartman with early Homer, Marge, and family cards/stickers from the same set and later releases.
• Animated icons page. Put Bartman next to early TMNT, Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men cartoon cards, etc.
• “Fake superheroes” theme. Team Bartman up with parody heroes and alter egos from other non-sports sets.
• Sticker-only binder. Lean into 80s/90s sticker culture: Goonies, Garbage Pail Kids, Simpsons, Marvel, and beyond.

Final Thoughts

1990 Topps The Simpsons #1 – Bartman Sticker hits that perfect sweet spot of this whole Iconic Rookies project: instantly recognizable character, genuinely important to pop culture, and still surprisingly cheap for what it represents.

If you’re building a character-driven non-sports collection, you don’t want to look back in a few years and say, “Wait… why didn’t I grab a Bartman when they were ten bucks?”

Watch it, dude. Don’t sleep on Bartman.