Poor Image: Artistic License Geography

I just have no idea what the image is. The image itself just looks like a map with things randomly circled. Clicking the "source" doesn't clarify anything, particularly where Mars comes into play.

Looking at it further and following the link, I see that the "map" is a collage made from pieces of maps. That's not only confusing but impossible to tell without following the link, since the text is too small to tell anything.

I want to axe it.

Yeah, I agree. I think it's a joke about how Mars is often mis-represented in things, but it's still not very good. We just a good screenshot of a badly ill-researched map or something.

Caption doesn't work either. This is especially jarring when you click on the source and see that it's just a mishmash of maps. Has nothing to do with Mars.

At first I thought it was supposed to be some old-fashioned map, like [1]◊

I don't think this is an example, but I just thought of it. [2]◊

edited 10th May '13 9:07:21 PM by Rethkir

I have no idea what's going on there. +1 to pull.

I believe some form of mappa mundi would probably be most demonstrative, especially something like a T-and-O map which looks like a diagram divorced from actual geography.

I think the current looks like an obviously not real map, so I'm going with Keep Until Better Image Suggested.

No idea what the caption is about, though, so that can probably be ditched.

The current image as a standalone doesn't work at all for me. It doesn't purport to be a real one. Same for 3.1.

3.2 may work, but I am not sure if everyone here knows that the Dakotas are two states.

What is 3.2 from?

The Fairly OddParents!

Cool, that's what I was thinking...I'll give that one a pending something better.

Context of 3.2: Timmy wishes he were always right, so when he says there are 49 states, the Dakotas merge.

3.2 isn't the best thing, but it's better than the current.

Isn't that Global Ignorance?

Not really, because the picture doesn't show the mistake being made.

It's explicitly pointed out, though. I think it's misleading.

I think a map of a flat Earth (or a mappa mundi) would be better for this than the FOP example-thing.

edited 11th May '13 11:49:34 AM by DunDun

It's not pointed out in the picture though.

Yes. (I prefer the mappa mundi, because they actually are examples of artistic license being taken, much more than failure to do the research.)

I'm afraid I'm not familiar enough with the geography of the USA to understand the joke in Fairly Odd Parents, or even notice that it is a joke.

Does this look enough like real geography for the trope?◊

That, like most historical maps, is more Science Marches On than this.

Does it count if the landscape is designed by "god"? This is the world map for The Twelve Kingdoms.

That's Fantasy World Map. Artistic License – Geography is an error made about Earth's geography.

edited 22nd May '13 2:45:58 PM by Rethkir

This trope is about mistakes and misrepresentations of real locations. Fictional maps don't really qualify.

I found this map on whs.wsd.wednet.edu

http://imgur.com/4dva5Mo

I think it may be the best we could hope for. I've tested it when shrunk to 350px and you can still read the country names.