Night Shift (comics)

Night Shift
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Captain America #330 (June 1987)
In-story information
Member(s) Former members:
Brothers Grimm
Dansen Macabre
Digger
Gypsy Moth
Hangman
Misfit
Needle
Shroud
Tatterdemalion
Tick-Tock
Werewolf by Night
Mockingbird[1]

The Night Shift is a fictional group of criminals appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters first appeared in Captain America #330 (June 1987).

Publication history

After their initial appearance in Captain America #330 and #331 (June and July 1987), the team makes a cameo appearance in Solo Avengers #3 (February 1988). Their next battle is against the West Coast Avengers in West Coast Avengers vol. 2, #40 (January 1989).

Their first appearance in the 1990s is a four-issue story arc in Avengers: West Coast #76-#79 (November 1991 - February 1992) titled "Infamous Monsters of Hollywood". They then return to the pages of Captain America in issue #420 (October 1993).

The team does not reappear until they are a part of the "Dark Reign" storyline [2] getting involved in Marvel Zombies 4, where the Midnight Sons clash with the plans of Hood. Fred Van Lente explains that "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."[3]

Their final appearances are in Moon Knight vol. 4, #3-#6 (September - December 2011) which ends with the team's death after Count Nefaria kills them for failing to defeat Moon Knight and Echo.

Fictional team biography

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

With the exceptions of Digger and the Brothers Grimm, the Shroud met the team while a fellow captive of Locksmith.[4] 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. 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 Hangman, who calls on Satannish. The powers of the team are greatly increased, but in the end they are defeated anyway.[5]

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 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, Count Nefaria reduces Dansen Macabre, Digger, Needle, Tatterdemalion, Tick Tock, and Misfit to ashes.[6]

During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, Dansen Macabre and Digger turned up alive when they, Brothers Grimm, and Skein rob a bus and it's people of it's valuables. In addition, they are now shown to have Waxman as their latestmember as he starts to smother a security guard in his wax. Their robbery is interrupted by Superior Octopus who uses a sonic attack used for Symbiotes on Waxman, had his outfit rendered immune to Skein's abilities, had his goggles tune out Dansen's hypnotic dance, and easily took down the Brothers Grimm. Superior Octopus agrees to spare them more pain in exchange that the Night Shift becomes his agents where he will compensate them from his own funds. They agree to the terms and are ordered to return the stolen items. Superior Octopus leaves advising them never to cross him or they won't live long enough to regret it.[7]

Members

  • Brothers Grimm (Percy and Barton Grimes) - The Grimes brothers have the magical ability to conjure novelty weapons from their costumes. They are currently members of the Masters of Evil.
  • Dansen Macabre - Dansen Macabre has the ability to hypnotize, kill or become undetectable while she is dancing. She is killed with the rest of the team by Count Nefaria for failing to kill Moon Knight.[6]
  • Digger (Roderick Krupp) - Krupp has increased durability and seems to show no pain regardless of the extent of his injuries. He is killed with the rest of the team by Count Nefaria for failing to kill Moon Knight.[6]
  • Gypsy Moth (Sybil Dvorak) - Dvorak is a telekinetic, though she uses it almost exclusively on fabrics. She uses it to levitate as well. She is a member of the Women Warriors, Delaware's Fifty State Initiative team.
  • Needle (Josef Saint) - Saint has the ability to hypnotize people with his eye. He is killed with the rest of the team by Count Nefaria for failing to kill Moon Knight.[6]
  • Shroud (Maximillian Coleridge) - Coleridge has the ability to summon material from the Darkforce Dimension.
  • Tatterdemalion (Arnold Paffenroth) - Paffenroth has augmented strength.
  • Tick-Tock - Tick-Tock has the ability to see one minute into the future.
  • Werewolf by Night (Jacob Russoff) - Russoff's lycanthropy gives him superhuman speed, strength, agility as well as sharpened senses and a healing factor. He is a member of the Midnight Sons and the Legion of Monsters.
  • Hangman (Jason Roland) - Roland possesses superhuman strength and durability. He also uses a mystically enchanted rope that he can control telepathically. He joins the team in Avengers: West Coast #76 (November 1991).
  • Misfit (Mitchell Godey) - Godey possesses superhuman strength and durability. He joins the team in West Coast Avengers vol. 2, #40 (January 1989).
  • Waxman - An unnamed scientist with a skin condition who made an experimental cure that turned him into a creature made of wax. He can shapeshift and smother his enemies with his waxy body. He joined the group in Superior Octopus #1.

References

  1. ↑ Marvel Comics Presents vol. 1, #87 (Oct. 1991)
  2. ↑ "Dark Reign Files" one-shot (April 2009)
  3. ↑ Richards, Dave (March 20, 2009). "Fred Van Lente Talks Marvel Zombies 4". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  4. ↑ Spider-Woman #50
  5. ↑ West Coast Avengers #76-79. Marvel Comics.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Moon Knight vol. 6, #6 (December 2011). Marvel Comics.
  7. ↑ Superior Octopus #1. Marvel Comics.
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