Fictional team biography
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. [9] 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. [10]
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. [11]
During the Spider-Geddon storyline, Dansen Macabre and Digger turn up alive. They, the Brothers Grimm, and Skein rob a bus and its people of its valuables. In addition, they are now shown to have the Waxman as their latest member. Their robbery is interrupted by the Superior Octopus, who takes down the Night Shift with equipment designed to counter their abilities. The 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. The Superior Octopus leaves, advising them never to cross him or they will not live long enough to regret it. [12]
The Night Shift later helps the Superior Spider-Man in his battle against Terrax, who appears in San Francisco, California and attacks. They deliver a device from Horizon University, which the Superior Spider-Man uses to absorb some of Terrax's cosmic powers in order to defeat him. After the battle, the Night Shift assist the Superior Spider-Man in searching and rescuing survivors from the attack. [13]
