Comus
In 1857, Comus appeared. Six men formed a secret group and invited thirteen others to join. The official name was The Mistick Krewe of Comus. An oath was taken by each member owing to identity secrecy. Costumes were obtained from a Mobile theatre and names were secretly selected for invitations.
On February 24, 1857, the first Comus parade appeared.
Krewe members donned costumes at their 
den
and formed a line to march at 8:00 pm. Torchlights were used and set ablaze.
Bands played music and Comus (his Satanic Majesty) rode atop a float. Krewe
members followed on foot. Ball theme: The Demon Actors in Milton's Paradise
Lost
In 1858, Comus put on its first parade. Thirty members presented its Mystick Krewe parade, which established a tradition. An exquisite ball followed with general dancing. Ball theme: Mythology
In 1859, Comus experienced difficulty. No parade. This happened again in 1943. Ball theme: The English Holidays
In 1860, Comus presented floats, maskers and a ball with an orchestra of 100 musicians. Ball theme: History of America
1861 saw Comus parading as a torchlight procession with all members of the Krewe walking. Ball theme: The Four Ages of Life
During the Civil War years, 1861-5 there was no Comus.
In 1866, one float supported Comus. Maskers followed with each holding a golden goblet, the insignia of Comus. A tableau ball followed. Ball theme: The Past, The Present, The Future
1867's parade was composed of maskers afoot. Ball theme: The Feast of Epicurus
1868 - Maskers were on horseback in Oriental costumes. Half the horses were white, half black. Ball theme: The Departure of Lalla Rookh from Delhi
1869 - six floats with mounted and marching maskers. The tableau ball was held at the New Opera House. Ball theme: The Five Senses
1870 - Metropolitan police ordered each group of maskers as well as each parade to have one person unmasked, except Comus. Ball theme: The History of Louisiana
1871 - Ball theme: Spenser's Faerie Queen
1872 - Grand Duke Alexis of Russia occupies a special box at the ball. Ball theme: Dreams of Homer
1873 - Marching characters making fun of Darwinina theory and prominent carpetbaggers. First parade to be designed and constructed in New Orleans. Earlier floats were ordered, in parts, from France. Ball theme: The Missing Links to Darwin's Origin of the Species
1874 - Ball theme: Comus' Greeting to the Nations
1875 - No ball due to conditions preceding the overthrow of carpetbag rule
1876 - Ball theme: Four Thousand Years of Sacred History
1877 - Ball theme: The Aryan Race
1878 - Ball theme: The Metamorphoses of Ovid,
1879 - No Comus due to yellow fever outbreak.
1880 through 1882 - Parades were similar to earlier ones. First formal visit of Rex occurred in 1882. Queen of Comus established. Ball theme of 1880: The Aztecs and Their Conquest of Cortez
1881 - Ball theme: The Myths of Nordland
1882 - Ball theme: The World's Worships
1883 - No Comus
1884 - Krewe's first court introduced. Ladies in beautiful gowns filled the French Opera House. President Jefferson Davis, General A. D. Hill and daughters were present. Daughters of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were also present. After the tableau, Comus called out Mildred Lee as his partner. King and Queen dance. Lee decreed first Comus Queen. Daughters, the first Maids of Honor. Ball theme: The History of Ireland
1890 - After five years of absence, Comus returned. Comus and Proteus who both claimed Mardi Gras night, rolled towards Canal Street. Proteus arrived first. Proteus attempted to sever the Comus tradition when the Comus leader galloped to the side of the Proteus mountain captain and became a confrontation ensued. Katherine Buckner was the Queen. Ball theme: Palin-Genesis of the Mystick Krewe
1891 - Ball theme: Demonotology
1892 - As Proteus presented its display on Monday night, Comus resumed its Mardi Gras night celebration. Lively maskers in Oriental robes greeted the Queen, Winnie Davis. Japanese costumes were presented for the entire court, as well as Royal jewels. Ball theme: Nippon, the Land of the Rising Sun
1893 - Carthaginian characters paraded before Queen Josephine Maginnis, who the year before, was a maid. Ball theme: Salammbo
1894 - Ball theme: Once Upon a Theme
1895 - Ball theme: The Songs of Long Ago
1896 - Ball theme: The Seasons
1897 - Ball theme: Homer's Odyssey
1898 - Isabel Hardie was the Queen. Ball theme: Scenes from Shakespeare
1899 - Low temperatures saw the parade make it through snow and ice. Ball theme: Josephus
1900 - Japanese Ambassador, Wu Ting Fang, and members of his suite, attended the ball. Ball theme: The Golden Age
1901 - Ball theme: Selections from the Operas
1902 - Ball theme: The Fairy Kingdom
1903 - Special guests were Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, General Joe Wheeler, and Alice Roosevelt, daughter of the President. Ball theme: Mahabharata
1904 - Ball theme: Izdubar
1905 - Ball theme: The Lost Pleiad
1906 - Heavy rain ruined the parade which crossed Canal Street and then Royal Street. Krewe of Momus lent them borrow dry costumes. Ball theme: The Masque of Comus
1907 - Ball theme: Tennyson
1908 - Ball theme: Gods and Goddesses
1909 - Ball theme: Flights of Fancy
1910 - Ball theme: Ma-Homet
1911 - Ball theme: Familiar Quotations
1912 - A wind storm struck the parade and damaged the floats. Ball theme: Tales from Cathay
1913 - Ball theme: Time's Mysteries
1914 - Ball theme: Tales from Chaucer
1915 - Ball theme: Lore and Legends of Childhood
1916 - Ball theme: Glimpses of the Modern World of Art
1917 - Dormant through World War I. Ball theme: Romantic Legends
1918 through 1923 - Dormant due to burning of the French Opera House.
1924 - Fanciful parade and tableau ball at the Orpheum Theatre. The Queen was Virginia Claiborne. Ball theme: The God of Myrth Greets Ye Once Again
1925 - Ball theme: The Realms of Fantasy
1926 - Ball theme: The Gardens of Cashmere
1927 - Ball theme: Arabesques
1928 - Ball theme: Travels of Marco Polo
1929 - Ball theme: Gleanings of the Past
1930 - Comus ball moved to the Municipal Auditorium after six years at the Orpheum Theatre. Ball theme: The Legend of Faust
1931 - Diamond Jubilee celebration included a sparkling pageant and a lustrous ball. Adele Townsend Jahncke was the queen. The Krewe favor was a silver goblet. Ball theme: Jewels from Byron
1932 - Ball theme: Fairyland of Flowers
1933 - Ball theme: Featured Fantasies
1934 - Ball theme: The Realm of Nepture
1935 - Ball theme: Insect Life
1936 - Ball theme: The Beautiful
1937 - Ball theme: From Nature's Paint Pot
1938 - Ball theme: Comus Visits the States
1939 - Ball theme: Animals of Fact and Fable
1940 - Parade caught up in downpour. Police and leading band went the wrong way, down Royal Street. Captain and Lieutenants led the parade over the Circuit of Canal Street and then to the Auditorium. Ball theme: Picturesque Passages from the Poets
1941 - No parade after notice is issued due to war. Ball theme: Nature's Moods
1942 through 1945 - No Comus
1946 - Comus returns. Ball theme: Famous Gifts of Facts and Fancy
1947 - Ball theme: Quests of History and Legend
1948 - Ball theme: Medley of Childhood Memories
1949 - Ball theme: Familiar Facts and Fancies
1950 - Comus cancels parade for 1951 after President issues national emergency declaration. Balltheme (1950): Priceless Products
1952 - King reported to be a former famous King of the Carnival. The Queen was Grace Parker. Ball theme: Bible Stories We All Know
1953 - Ball theme: The States of the Louisiana Purchase
1954 - Ball theme: The Garland of Comus
1955 - Ball theme: Our Latin American Neighbors
1956 - Ball theme: Our Early Contemporaries