Batman Annual #16 (1992)

Batman chases down Johnny Manzoni, a former henchman of the Joker, and demands to know the whereabouts of his boss. Manzoni at first denies any knowledge but is soon persuaded to reveal what he knows, which isn't much. Batman tells him to spread the word that until the Joker is back in Arkham, he will be coming down hard on the criminal community. In a bar, Ben Turner tells what happened to Commissioner Gordon when he touched the mysterious black diamond and lets slip that he knows how to get hold of the gem. When he leaves, a man follows him and bundles him into a car which takes off at speed, forcing a bus off the road and into the river. Batman comes to the rescue but meanwhile the car has sped off, arriving at the disused Gotham Waxworks. The captured man, who claims to be a cop, is brought in to see the Joker, who tortures him on a rack until he reveals where the black diamonds are being kept. However the Joker then gases the man and his henchmen dump the body on the roof of a passing train. Two other henchmen, Dan and Keef, then go to headquarters in police uniforms and steal the diamonds at gunpoint. As they leave they encounter Johnny Manzoni and have to pretend not to know him, not very successfully, arousing his suspicions. He concludes that they are working for the Joker again and pursues them. They begin shooting at him to drive him away but he keeps coming and in desperation Keef exposes himself to one of the black diamonds, which creates a dragon-like creature that attacks Manzoni's car. Meanwhile Batman spots the body on the roof of the train and when he sees the rictus grin knows that the Joker is responsible. He recognises the man from the night that James Gordon triggered the Eclipso beast and wonders if his torture is connected. He then sees the dragon-creature flying off with Manzoni's car in its claws. It drops the car and Batman destroys it with a solar energy flashlight. He can do nothing for Manzoni but the dying man confirms that the Joker's men are in possession of the black diamonds. With the creature destroyed Keef returns to normal and they take the diamonds to the Joker, fearful of what he will do when he finds out they have used one. Batman has traced them and bursts in on the Joker, who is about to use one of the diamonds. However instead of causing him to create a monster, it transforms him into one. Dan shoots the flashlight out of Batman's hand before he can bring it to bear, leaving him no choice but to use another of the gems himself so he can match the Eclipsed Joker. The two begin a fierce battle which wrecks much of the local area and continues until sunrise, which drives the Eclipso spirit out of both men. Batman knocks out the now-human Joker and takes him back to Arkham.