2078 is an adventure story arc of the Philippine comic strip series Pugad Baboy, created by Pol Medina, Jr. and originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 1992. This particular story arc lasts 45 strips long. In 1994, the story arc was reprinted in PB5, the fifth book compilation of the comic strip series.
Contents
Synopsis
The Pugad Baboy gang waits in line at an LRT station. Because of their combined weight, their LRT car breaks off the train and runs right into a black hole that is a time warp. The car suddenly stops and the group alights at the same LRT station, which is now in a decrepit condition. A black-suited man calling himself Taxx Vader (a combined spoof of Darth Vader and a tax evader) tells the group that they are in the future - 2078 to be exact. A friend of Taxx Vader's, Chewbaboy (spoofing Chewbacca) then offers to act as the group's tour guide in the Manila of 2078.
Among the developments and changes they discover are the following:
Dobermaxx
All of a sudden, the sound of gunfire causes the group to scamper for cover. Chewbaboy identifies the culprit as a member of Black Eden, a gang of drug pushers operating in the city. The pusher passes right in front of Polgas, who was assembling his OCB-issue Garapata Gun and kicked the criminal's legs out from under him. The Black Eden gang member tries to shoot back at him with his laser pistol, but a shot from somewhere else ruins his aim but also immolates Polgas' own Garapata Gun. Polgas is surprised to observe that the mysterious shooter also used a Garapata Gun. The newcomer introduces himself as Dobermaxx, the OCB director in 2078.
Dobermaxx explains that the captured pusher is named Adam Carlo, and that the drug he was selling was known as "Blue Emerald", smuggled into the country by grinding the drug crystals into powder and applied as underarm deodorant. Dobermaxx also remarks that Polgas looks familiar; he mentions Agent Polgas by name. Polgas decides to hide his true identity calling himself "Jun." The pair get into Dobermaxx's ride, presumably a Porsche variant similar to Polgas' Thunderdog code-named the Bullfox II and proceeded to his office after incarcerating Adam Carlo. They begin to discuss OCB personnel files, equipment and the drug pushers. Dobermaxx explains that the Black Eden gang's mastermind is a shadowy figure named Anton Damien who had three clones as his lieutenants - Adam Alfred, Adam Berto and the prisoner, Adam Carlo. Dobermaxx adds that Agent Polgas' grandson, another OCB agent, was missing and presumed dead when he intentionally crashed the heli-jet he was piloting in order to kill Adam Berto.
Just then, Dobermaxx receives a transmission that the cell block in which Adam Carlo is being kept is under attack - an escape attempt is being made. He attaches a jet pack to his Dingo Suit powered armor and rushes off while Polgas takes the Jet Jackal, the OCB's VTOL craft. Seeing Dobermaxx respond, Adam Carlo goes to the top of the cell block and shoots him down with his laser cannon before Polgas crashes the Jackal on the platform, killing him. Polgas bails out and lands right into a furious Anton Damien, who proceeds to beat him up while wearing his own power suit. In the midst of the struggle, Polgas successfully bites into Anton Damien's power suit and short-circuits the whole system. Without the empowerment of the suit, Polgas moves on to pummel Anton Damien. When asked what fighting style did he use, Polgas said, "old fashioned, street fighting, Tondo style" or Kanto styled fighting. Polgas removes the suit's helmet and is stunned to see his 20th-century nemesis Atong Damuho, but who was in reality, Atong Damuho's great-grandson. Both Dobermaxx and Anton Damien wonder at this strange turn of events.
Return from 2078
Chewbaboy appears and shouts that the black hole at the LRT station is opened once again, allowing Polgas to finally return to his own time. When Polgas insists on seeing Anton Damien sent to jail first, Chewbaboy explains that he has to leave or wait 23 more years for another black hole to open. Anton Damien mocks Polgas' predicament by wagging his tongue. It only infuriates Polgas by getting Dobermaxx's Garapata Gun and shoots several rounds at Anton Damien's face, triggering an unbearable itch. Chewbaboy, Dobermaxx and Polgas run to the LRT station and sees the black hole beginning to close. Dobermaxx hotwires an old power cable to his Dingo Suit and throws Polgas into the black hole, but not before Polgas makes him promise to find Agent Polgas' grandson. As Polgas enters the black hole before it closes completely, Dobermaxx removes his helmet and reveals himself to be actually the missing grandson of Agent Polgas, calling him lolo (Filipino - grandfather).
Epilogue
The Pugad Baboy group finally arrives back in 1992 aboard the same LRT car, but now have no memory of their adventures in 2078. They wonder why Polgas lies spread-eagled on the box-car's rear windshield. They also notice that his Garapata Gun looked different and that it now shoots at longer range. The OCB Weapons and Armaments laboratory analyzes the weapon, but could not determine the exact kind of metal used in its construction, but notes its built-in laser sight, a satellite transceiver, and an etching engraved on the trigger housing - "Dobermaxx". Since his memory of the events of 2078 had been erased, Polgas could only speculate on where the new Garapata Gun came from and decides to adopt "Dobermaxx" as his new OCB callsign.