NIGHT SHIFT

Membership: Dansen Macabre, Digger (Roderick Krupp), Misfit, Needle, Tatterdemalion, Tick-Tock (see comments);
   formerly Brothers Grimm (Percy and Barton Grimes), Hangman (Jason Rolands), Gypsy Moth (Dvorak), Shroud, Werewolf (Jack Russell)

Purpose: To take out other criminals in their area

Affiliations: Black Talon (Barone), Captain America (Rogers), the Hood, the Hood's "villain army" (Centurius, Crossfire), Snapdragon;
     formerly Moon Knight (Marc Spector), Satannish

Enemies: Avengers (Hawkeye, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Living Lightning, Mockingbird, Moon Knight, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter), Tigra, USAgent, Vision, Wonder Man), Blazing Skull (Jim Scully), Count Nefaria, Echo (Maya Lopez), Dr. Karl Malus, the Midnight Sons (Daimon Hellstrom, Jennifer Kale, Man-Thing, Morbius, Werewolf (Jack Russell)), Dr. Strange, Moon Knight (Marc Spector), Power Broker (Curtiss Jackson), Satannish

Base of Operations: Tower of Shadows, Los Angeles, California

First Appearance: Captain America I#330 (June, 1987)

History:

(Captain America I#330 (fb) - BTS) - After almost dying, Shroud decided to take a new approach to fighting crime, this time from within. Once recovered, he put together a team of criminals and dubbed them the Night Shift. Their goal was to take out opposing criminals, which the team members believed to be to their gain, never knowing Shroud's true intentions.

At some point, the failed power-augmented mutations of the Power Broker (Curtiss Jackson) began to be abandoned in the Los Angeles sewers, which the Night Shift had been using as their underground transportation way. Shroud became concerned that these beings would endanger his team. As they captured the mutates, they returned them to their headquarters in the Tower of Shadows until something could be done with them.

(Captain America I#330) - As Captain America found himself surrounded by several of the Power Broker's failed mutations in the Los Angeles sewers, several members of the Night Shift arrived and fought off the mutates. Cap made his way through the sewer, and was attacked by Werewolf, but easily threw him off. Shroud and the rest of the Night Shift made their presence known, having caught Dr. Karl Malus, and Shroud commanded his team to stand back as he took care of Captain America. Once encased within Shroud's Darkforce, he and Cap discussed the situation, and Cap, needing to discover who the Power Broker was, agreed to go along with Shroud in letting the Night Shift believe he defeated the Avenger. To insure that Cap was under their control, Dansen Macabre performed a hypnotic dance, but Shroud secretly covered Cap's eyes with Darkforce so that Macabre's powers wouldn't affect him. She then performed the dance on Malus, who led them to the Power Broker's lair. Cap and the Night Shift launched an attack on Power Broker, revealed to be Curtiss Jackson, and his hired goons.

(Captain America I#331) - Shroud met up with Captain America to get an update on the situation (Cap had found Jackson as well as Jackson's prisoner Demolition Man (Dennis Dunphy), who had gone into cardiac arrest during the events). With Jackson captured, Shroud warned him that he would be returning the mutates to Jackson to cure. Afterwards, Shroud and the Night Shift left, but returned that night with the mutates to be cured.

(Solo Avengers#3/2) - Jack Russell, the Werewolf, suggested Moon Knight (an old ally of his) to Shroud as a potential member of the Night Shift. To test Moon Knight's abilities, Shroud had Russell give Moon Knight false information on Cornelius Van Lunt to draw him to the Tower of Shadows. Once there, Moon Knight faced several traps before confronting Shroud and engaged him in battle. Shroud believed Moon Knight proved himself and called out the Night Shift. Shroud offered Moon Knight not only a place on the team, but as his successor in the leadership role. Moon Knight declined and departed.

(West Coast Avengers II#40 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, one of the Power Broker's failed mutations joined the team, taking the name Misfit.

(West Coast Avengers II#40) - Mockingbird came across Digger burying two thugs in a street, and attacked him. She quickly defeated him and turned him over to the local authorities.  When the rest of  the Shift (minus Shroud, who was out of town on business) learned of his arrest, they decided to attack the Avengers' west coast compound in retaliation, believing Mockingbird to still be a member. As the Shift fought the West Coast Avengers, Mockingbird reported her defeat of Digger to two fellow ex-Avengers, Tigra and Moon Knight. Moon Knight immediately took the two to the Tower of Shadows to find out what was going on. They waited in the Tower until the Shroud arrived, who learned what had happened and left to rescue his team, who had been defeated by the Avengers. As the Shift waited in captivity, Shroud arrived and led them in escape. Later, Hawkeye met up with Shroud to confront him about the situation, and parted ways.

(Avengers West Coast#76 (fb) - BTS) - The Hangman arrived at the Tower of Shadows, revealed the true nature of Shroud to the Night Shift and took over the team as its leader. He also got rid of Werewolf.

(Avengers West Coast#76) - Upset that the film he would have starred in, "The Demon That Devoured Hollywood", was being reshot, the Hangman led the Night Shift to attack the set. Several of the Avengers were on the set, as one of their members, Wonder Man, had been a stuntman on the first footage shot. Wonder Man, Living Lightning and Spider-Woman managed to drive the Shift members (Hangman, Brothers Grimm and Gypsy Moth) off, and the Shift returned to the Tower of Shadows. There, he played upon all of their wishes to be movie stars to convince them to continue under his leadership. He led them through a portal, which they did not know was powered by Satannish, and they were granted stronger powers. As the Avengers investigated not only the Night Shift but missing actor Jason Rolands (secretly the new Hangman), the Night Shift attacked again, defeating Hawkeye, Spider-Woman and USAgent. The captured Avengers were then placed on a sacrificial disc, as the Night Shift chanted to Satannish. A portal opened and Satannish's hand reached out towards the Avengers.

(Avengers West Coast#77) - To track the Night Shift, Iron Man allowed Digger to escape from prison, hoping he would lead the Avengers to their captured teammates. He did just that, just as Satannish hovered over the captured heroes. Iron Man and Living Lightning freed their comrades and attacked the demon, but he departed, as did the Night Shift using Dansen Macabre's new teleportation powers. Hangman sent Ticktock, Tatterdemalion, Macabre and Misfit to the Devoured set, where they kidnapped Wonder Man, who had resumed acting duties on the film. Hangman revealed himself to Wonder Man as Rolands, and Wonder Man opted to play along, offering to star in Rolands' version of the movie.

(Avengers West Coast#78) - Night Shift and Wonder Man began shooting their "opus" with a kidnapped film crew, as the hero waited for the right time to stop them. To lure Hangman and his team out of hiding, the Avengers convinced the real crew of Devoured to replace the missing Wonder Man with USAgent. In the meantime, Iron Man visited Dr. Strange for help regarding Satannish. The Night Shift attacked the Devoured set again, and captured USAgent.

(Avengers West Coast#79) - The hostage crew members attempted to fight back against the Night Shift, and were almost killed before the Avengers arrived and rescued them, releasing their comrades Wonder Man and USAgent in the process. Hangman conjured Satannish again, but Dr. Strange arrived and when the Night Shift learned that Satannish had stolen their souls, they turned on him and the Hangman. With the Avengers' help, they drove the demon away.  Afterwards, the Avengers apprehended the Night Shift members.

(Captain America I#420) - Blazing Skull encountered Digger and was fighting him when Captain America showed up seeking to question the Skull regarding his possible connection to the Red Skull. Blazing Skull and Cap fought for a while until several other Night Shift members (Brothers Grimm, Misfit, Needle) arrived and attacked both of them. The four were defeated, and when Digger recovered, he surrendered.

(Dark Reign Files) - Quasimodo researched Night Shift for Norman Osborn, suggesting their inclusion into the Hood's villain army should he be informed of them through his association with the Brothers Grimm.

(Marvel Zombies 4#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Night Shift was recruited into the Hood's villain army.

(Marvel Zombies 4#2) - The Hood called the Night Shift (Dansen Macabre, Digger, Needle, and Tatterdemalion) to accompany him to a meeting with the Black Talon on the Island Nation of Taino to discuss the purchase of an other-worldly virus that induces zombification. Sensing the presence of the Midnight Sons, a group organized to eradicate the virus, the Hood sent the Night Shift to stop them from interfering. Ambushing the Midnight Sons, the Night Shift was soon overpowered, Tatterdemalion set ablaze by Daimon Hellstrom, Needle blasted by Jennifer Kale, Dansen Macabre bitten by Morbius and Digger having his shovel wedged into his head. Regrouping, the Night Shift lurched forward, ignoring a warning from their foes that the plague approached. The plague tore the Night Shift apart, disintegrating their remains.

(Marvel Zombies 4#4 (fb) - BTS) - Dormammu resurrected the Night Shift and sent them after the Midnight Sons to distract them while he wrested control of the plague.

(Marvel Zombies 4#4) - Bursting into the Black Talon's plantation while the Midnight Sons and a powerless Hood worked to stop the plague, the Night Shift was held back by the Hood, Morbius, and Hellstrom.
   With the plague successfully contained, the Night Shift returned to their human forms and left with a repowered Hood. (see comments)

(Moon Knight VI#3) - Night Shift (Dansen Macabre, Digger, Misfit, Needle, Tatterdemalion, Tick-Tock) were hired by LA crimeboss Snapdragon (Sheoke Sanada, acting on orders from Count Nefaria) to seek out and capture Moon Knight.

(Moon Knight VI#4) - The Night Shift caught up with Marc Spector who was having a talk with Maya Lopez (the deaf vigilante Echo) outside on a bench. When Spector refused Tick-Tock's polite invitation to accompany them, the Night Shift attacked. Tick-Tock tried to shoot Echo, but ended up hitting Tatterdemalion instead. In response, Echo knocked out Digger and used his shovel to stab Tick-Tock. The two Avengers managed to defeat the Night Shift, who were arrested by the police.

(Moon Knight VI#5 - BTS) - The Night Shifters were released from jail after their lawyer made the case they really were the victims of two outlaw vigilantes beating on them.

(Moon Knight VI#6) - Snapdragon brought Dansen and the other Night Shift members to meet with her boss who wanted to discuss why the six of them had failed to capture the two heroes. Nefaria insulted the team for their bumbling incompetence, which they took offense to. But before anyone could act, they were incinerated by Nefaria's ionic energy blast. As the Night Shift's remains continued to smolder, Nefaria turned to Snapdragon and requested she aimed a bit higher the next time she hired outside help.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Tom Morgan and Sal DeLaRosa.

When the Night Shift reappeared after many years their roster was down to Dansen Macabre, Digger, Needle, and Tatterdemalion. Although the Shroud and the Werewolf were booted out some years earlier, Hangman was removed by Satannish, and Gypsy Moth became Skein (and eventually had a successor take up her old identity), the absences of Misfit and Tick-Tock are unexplained. It can be assumed they likely have some continued affiliation with the group, until contradictory information proves otherwise. And since Night Shift was operating with the Hood and absence of the Brothers Grimm from their ranks implies they'd cut their ties to the group by the time of their Marvel Zombies appearance.

Armory's separate run-ins with the Brothers Grimm and Needle may mean they were up to Night Shift related business together, but it's probably just a coincidence.

It could almost be said that Spider-Woman I#50 would count as a pre-origin for this team, as many of them appeared in the issue, captured by Tick Tock and Locksmith. Maybe Shroud started recruiting them at this point.

It is unclear how the Night Shift had their human forms restored following their possession by Dormammu, but it was likely the Hood's doing.

Thanks to Loki for providing the main image from the Gamer's Guide to the Marvel Universe 1992 Character Update.

Profile by Madison Carter. Updated by G Morrow (Marvel Zombies 4) & Norvo (Moon Knight)

CLARIFICATIONS:
Group name has no known connections to

• Nightshirt Guerilla, aka Paul Same, Howard the Duck character, doesn't sleep a lot @ Howard the Duck I#4
• Nightstick, Thought Police, Sleepwalker foe @ Sleepwalker#14
• or any other "night" characters or groups
  

images: (without ads)
Gamer's Guide to the Marvel Universe 1992 Character, p169 (main)
Solo Avengers#3, p22, pan1 (with Werewolf)
Marvel Zombies 4#2, p9, pan1 (current roster)
Moon Knight VI#3, p21-22 (working for Count Nefaria)

Appearances:
Captain America I#330 (June, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Tom Morgan (penciler), Sam DeLaRosa (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Captain America I#331 (July, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Neary (penciler), Vincent Colletta (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Solo Avengers#3 (February, 1988) - Roger Stern (writer), Bob Hall (penciler), Stan Drake (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#40 (January, 1989) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Al Milgrom (penciler), Gustovich (inker), Howard Mackie (editor)
Avengers West Coast#76 (November, 1991) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), David Ross (penciler), Tim Dzon (inker), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Avengers West Coast#77 (December, 1991) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), David Ross (penciler), Tim Dzon (inker), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Avengers West Coast#78 (January, 1992) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), David Ross (penciler), Tim Dzon (inker), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Avengers West Coast#79 (February, 1992) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), David Ross (penciler), Tim Dzon (inker), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Captain America I#420 (October, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik Levins (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Dark Reign Files (February, 2009) - Michael Hoskin & various others (writer), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Marvel Zombies 4#2 (July, 2009) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Kev Walker (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Marvel Zombies 4#4 (September, 2009) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Kev Walker (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Moon Knight VI#3-6 (September-December, 2011) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Alex Maleev (pencils & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)