This opening episode of H.$.E presents us a world in the midst of an unprecedented financial crisis. Still, although the economy of industrialized countries is in tatters, unemployment has rocketed and millions of small business have gone bankrupt, there does seem to be one thing maintaining its financial value: the human being. Members of the social elite can have themselves listed on the stock market. So the stock market is no longer exclusively the privilege of corporate bodies, but of individual human bodies too! They can collect capital by wearing a “rate watch” indicating their popularity ratings. Felix Fox needs money. He wants one thing and one thing only: to get listed. After much persuasion, he finally gets there. With the backing of the creator of the Human Stock Exchange, he sits back and watches as his ratings soar. But of course, there is always a price to pay…
