Night Shift (comics)

The Night Shift is a fictional group of criminals appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in Captain America #330 (June 1987). It notably includes the Brothers Grimm, Dansen Macabre, Digger, the Gypsy Moth, the Needle, the Shroud, and Tick-Tock.

Writer Fred Van Lente, who featured the Night Shift in Marvel Zombies 4, explained his choice of characters, stating, "The Hood doesn't just bring any group of villains with him on this jaunt. He brings a very horror-oriented group of villains with him. People know I love to dip as far back as I can into obscure Marvel-ania and a team I always enjoyed and never felt got their time was the Night Shift. So they're working for the Hood now."

The Night Shift debuted in Captain America #330-331 (1987). The team subsequently appeared in several Marvel series, including Solo Avengers #3 (February 1988), West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #40 (January 1989), Avengers: West Coast #76-79 (November 1991-February 1992), Captain America in issue #420 (October 1993), the "Dark Reign" storyline, getting involved in Marvel Zombies 4, where the Midnight Sons clash with the plans of Hood, Marvel Zombies 4 (2009), Moon Knight Vol. 6 #3-6 (September - December 2011), which ends with the team's death after Count Nefaria kills them for failing to defeat the Moon Knight and Echo, The Superior Octopus #1 (December 2018), and Punisher (2023).

Based in California, the group is gathered and initially controlled by the Shroud. He is assisted by the Werewolf, misleading the team into believing they are forming a criminal gang; in reality, they are acting as vigilantes. The team's original lineup consists of the Brothers Grimm, Dansen Macabre, Digger, the Gypsy Moth, the Needle, the Shroud, the Tatterdemalion, Tick-Tock, and the Werewolf.

With the exceptions of Digger and the Brothers Grimm, the Shroud met the team while a fellow captive of the Locksmith. In their first appearance, they help Captain America take on the Power Broker. In West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #40 (January 1989), Mockingbird witnesses Digger burying three criminals. She takes the four of them to the local police precinct, where they are arrested. The rest of the team respond by attacking the West Coast Avengers at their headquarters. The Night Shift is defeated, but the Shroud teleports them away. Later, the Shroud is shown with Hawkeye swapping opinions about the encounter.

Their next encounter with the West Coast Avengers occurs in Avengers: West Coast. The team is led by the Hangman, who calls on Satannish. The powers of the team are greatly increased, but in the end they are defeated anyway.

In Marvel Zombies 4, the team is under the command of the Hood. They battle the Midnight Sons, but before they can finish fighting, they are overcome by a cloud of the airborne zombie virus. The entire team is turned into zombies. Through mystical means the virus is contained, transforming the team back into their human forms and the Hood teleports them away.

Snapdragon hires the team to kill the Moon Knight on behalf of Count Nefaria, who was operating as the Kingpin of Los Angeles. When they fail and are bailed out of prison by Snapdragon's lawyer, Nefaria reduces Dansen Macabre, Digger, the Needle, the Tatterdemalion, Tick-Tock, and the Misfit to ashes.