S2·E21 Three Men and a Comic Book

Episode recap

The twenty‑first episode of the second season of The Simpsons, titled “Three Men and a Comic Book,” follows three of Springfield Elementary’s most recognizable students—Bart Simpson, Milhouse Van Houten, and Martin Prince—as they pool their pocket money to purchase a coveted item. Their target is the brand‑new first issue of Radioactive Man, a superhero comic that exists within the world of the series. The three friends combine their savings, each contributing a share, and together acquire the rare issue.

The episode’s central conflict emerges after the purchase is completed. The trio’s collective investment quickly becomes a source of tension when they cannot reach an agreement about who should retain possession of the comic. The disagreement threatens both the monetary value of their shared purchase and the friendship that