A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

The Map All Over

By Jimmy Johnson




Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I’m throwing in the final four map cartoons from 2000, because I think the seamless conversation within is interesting. It’s like a comic book page. The astute might recognize the joke in the second strip as one I used again just last week, in a different context. I don’t do such things deliberately, but after 30 years, it happens. Speaking of that, it is hard to believe I drew the above 15 years ago.

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132 responses to “The Map All Over”

  1. emb Avatar
    emb

    Frank & Ernest by Thaves today is great. So is Herman by whomever. Peace, emb

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I own a collection of maps that were printed on waterproof plastic and could be held easily while driving, folded only one way and easily. They must be pre GPS and cell phone.

  3. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    It was shortly after this that we began seeing GPS and Navigation systems migrate to phones, which made maps less prevalent. That’s good because my map folding stunk.

  4. Adrian Avatar
    Adrian

    And it’s hard to believe it’s been that long since you changed Janis’ hair.

  5. Jim in TN Avatar
    Jim in TN

    Reminds me a Willie Nelson song!

  6. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    From last post earlier
    on 16 Oct 2015 at 10:26 am #

    A Nony Mouse
    Make sure there is no onion in that sandwich you share.
    Not sure about dogs but for cats a no-no.

    Debbe
    Coyotes in area is why the Grand Kitties are kept in at night and why I worry
    when any do “walk about”.

  7. John Conner Avatar
    John Conner

    Yes, my mom’s name is Sarah. And you don’t want to mess with her.

    For some reason, though, I’m having a problem finding my dad on Ancestry.com.

  8. Trapper Jean Avatar
    Trapper Jean

    Ghost Sweetie, the song from yesterday might have been for Debbe, but I like Otis and Dock of the Bay, too. 🙂 I remember a trip to New Orleans, and singing along with a street musician. He got the money and I got a smile and a thank you.

    Neal in Bawstun, you said your parents were from Augusta, Ga. I lived there in the mid-1950s. Granted I was a small child, but we were there for seven years. My mom and I lived in the Richmond Heights subdivision, while my dad was stationed in several Army bases-notably Fort Gordon, Fort Jackson, and somewhere in Korea.

    When my kids were in elementary school we bought two maps-one North America and one world-and mounted them on a wall under a plexiglass covering. They were great for geography classes and general curiosity. When we sold the house we left them there as our kids were in college by then, and the buyers had young children. I wonder if those maps are still there?

  9. Mark from Maine Avatar
    Mark from Maine

    I love maps of any kind, and especially antique maps. I have a fairly good collection of antique maps of Maine. As always, don’t confuse the map with the territory . . .

  10. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    Where do Arlo and Janis day live. Sounds like it is NOT Oregon. 49 states to go! and the District of Columbia.

  11. Ginger in Auburn Avatar
    Ginger in Auburn

    I love maps vs a GPS because I want to see the BIG picture, truly get the gist of where we are and where we are heading! I can refold according to my needs so it’s not all sprawled out while we are driving.

  12. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Steve in Royal Oak, MI, they live in The Comic Zone. (apologies to Mr. Serling). In an area that corresponds to our Middle America, but not in the Southeast. So says our creator/artist.

    I like antique maps, antique books, antique buildings, etc. Oh yeah, and antique photos. Did any of you see the story about the lucky guy who bought a collection of old photos and wound up with an authenticated tintype of Billy the Kid playing croquet? It’s going for auction and expected to fetch a much higher price than he paid for the box o’stuff.

  13. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Anonymous, if you check the travel section of a bookstore you should find a line of maps called Streetwise (city name). They are combination map/tour guides for the cities. You might find them very useful in your travels.

    https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_15?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=streetwise+maps&sprefix=streetwise+maps%2Caps%2C452

  14. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Arlo might like aeronautical navigation sectional charts, too. They show a lot of features in addition to highways. Of course, like road maps, they have been obviated to some degree by technology. Still, they are good to have on hand if the instrument panel of your aircraft goes dark. Indeed, those charts have a special place in the heart of The Dread Pilot Ghost, for that very reason.

    http://i.imgur.com/UGIl5Ex.jpg

  15. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    I own a set of nautical charts covering most of the Caribbean. Come on very handy when seeking a quiet place for an overnight anchorage.

  16. hc Avatar
    hc

    When I started flying, those (aviation) sectional charts were $1.25 each …I still have a couple!

  17. hc Avatar
    hc

    as PS to above – Moses was still working on the cubits for the ark!

  18. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    The is no truth to the rumor that is is the flying machine hc used for his first solo flight. 🙂

    http://listverse.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/ritchel03-tm.jpg

  19. Mindy from Indy Avatar

    John Conner – Don’t feel bad. Ancestry.com has failed me too. Too many relatives named “John Smith.” Actually, my great aunt and I went to the library to work on nailing down those pesky relatives Monday. The day was cut short after finding out her husband had drove himself to the ER with a possible heart attack. (No heart attack. Source of pain as yet unknown.) And we are still dead in the water with relatives.

    My cousin is an unrepentant hoarder, and old maps are one of his many weaknesses. I have an WWII era puzzle map he would love to have.

    GPS makes me crazy. Drove same cousin’s Charger to Austin, TX, and the silly thing got us within view of our destination, but couldn’t get us there because it kept telling us to turn too quickly. Drove back in Ram with neither GPS nor map.

    Past few nights have been awesome for stargazing. While not as obvious as would be in higher altitudes, the Milky Way has even been visible.

    I don’t want to go back to work! Saturday is the last day of vacation. Not ready for 4a wake ups again.

  20. emb Avatar
    emb

    OF due 1711-1731 CDT.

    She just finished a blow, webcam as usual keeping tabs on the crowd and cutting off the top. Occurs to me that its screen may have more vertical reach than my HP laptop screen. Even so, they could move the webcam up so only the left end of the crowd remained in view. Clear sky in NW WY, pc and past sunset here. 40s F and windy here. Strong N wind when I walked N late am to hospital for flu shot and workout; strong W wind and only marginally warmer when I walked S home.

    Peace, emb

  21. Mindy from Indy Avatar

    One of the highlights of my vacation, taking grandma “sightseeing” via Google street view. She was delighted to see Mt. Rushmore, Hawaii, and more.

  22. Bob in Orland Park Avatar
    Bob in Orland Park

    People are always fascinated when they come into my Ham shack/office. Yes I’m one of those radio nuts but I don’t hide in the basement. I have a 7 X 14 wall covered with a world map. Found it in the wallpaper section of the local Menards (big box store like Home Depot). It came in 8 sections and went up like wallpaper. I love staring at it while shooting the breeze with someone on another continent.

  23. Steve the Rigger Avatar
    Steve the Rigger

    “Here is your map. Unfold it, follow it, then throw it away, if you will. It is only paper. It is only paper and ink, but if you think a little, if you pause a moment, you will see that these two things have seldom joined to make a document so modest and yet so full with histories of hope or sagas of conquest.”

    From West With The Night by Beryl Markham

  24. Ruth Anne in Winter Park Avatar
    Ruth Anne in Winter Park

    Bob: My late father (also a Bob/Robert) would have loved your shack. He was W4CBK, had his setup in a little corner of a room – no basement in Florida. He did most of his traveling by looking at maps and talking on the radio.

  25. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Mindy from Indy, check out a site called Findagrave.com. If you know the general area and possibly dates, you can find info including what is on the marker, other related family members, etc. Look into the census records which are released by the government. You need to locate a library with a good genealogy collection. There are even agricultural censuses which were done in the 1800’s which can tell you how much land was owned, what they grew and how much it was worth. Good luck!