To paraphrase Mark Twain, it’s easier to fool people into believing they’ll make piles of money than it is to convince them they’ve been fooled. Here’s the true story of stock investors who smoked so much “hopium” they lost their shirts — and their minds.

_{Story by Bob Ivry and Brandon Kochkodin}

_{Illustrations by Yvan Guillo/Samplerman}

---

---

^{THE PUMP}

---

---

^{THE SLUMP}

---

---

^{JUSTICE! — NO, WAIT}

In The End 64,000 Investors Lost Millions,

With Most Of Them Still Swearing It Was Non-Existent Naked Short Sellers Who Robbed Them.

Meanwhile,

Next Bridge, MMTLP’s Successor, Is Talking About Selling More Shares! To Fund The Search For More Oil, Of Course.

(Here We Go Again)

---

^CREDITS

^{Story: Bob Ivry and Brandon Kochkodin}

^{Illustrations: Yvan Guillo/Samplerman}

^{ART TEAM}

^{Creative Director: Alicia Hallett-Chan}

^{Senior Art Director: Fernando Capeto}

^{Designer: Angelica Alzona}

^{Design Consultant: Philip Smith}