Joseph B. Colton graduated with the highest honors from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1960.

During service overseas, he participated in numerous combat operations, but saw minimal acknowledgment, as his missions were "ultra" classified.

[2] He later "retired" from active military duty, and was placed as the head of a secret Strategic Defense Initiative installation in New York City.

[6] Between 1975 and 1976, Hasbro published comic book advertisements starring the Adventure Team, featuring the Joseph Colton, Atomic Man and Bulletman as members.

The laboratories are attacked by Cobra forces, which desire the orbital pulsed weapon system hidden inside.

[8] In issue #127, General Colton explains the Rapid Pulse Electron Beam (RPEB) to Duke and Stalker.

He discovers a tap into the control system, leading to a telephone switching station in New Jersey, where Cobra Commander has taken charge.

General Colton, Stalker and Duke use Battle Copters to fly back to the Chrysler Building, but Cobra Commander has already taken control of the RPEB, and uses it to eliminate a drug shipment by Headman.

This prompts Colton to reminisce about his earlier years in battle, leading to a flashback story about the original plan to form a G.I.

He is shot and apparently killed by the Red Shadow's leader, Wilder Vaughn, a man Colton once knew.

[15] When Cobra takes control of M.A.R.S., and begins to sell weaponry to insurgents, terrorists, and rebel groups, General Colton goes on the offensive, mobilizing the entire G.I.

[19] In the Hasbro Comic Book Universe, Colton was a member of the Adventure Team, alongside Miles "Mayhem" Manheim, Mike "Atomic Man" Power, Richard "Bulletman" Ruby, and Lonzo "Stalker" Wilkinson.

On their mission to the Tomb of Amtoltec, they battled an army of robotic mummies, before having an encounter with the Decepticon named Soundwave.

[23] Prior to the Revolution event, Colton was replaced by a Dire Wraith who attempted to control the Earth Defense Command by excluding Marissa Faireborn and Spike Witwicky.

[24] He also made horrific experiments on Aaron Grundy (Axiom), a skilled computer programmer who would be transformed into a monster loyal to the Wraiths.

[26] Meanwhile, the real Colton is revealed to be alive, having cut off his right hand in order to escape from the Dire Wraith who replaced him.

[27] Convinced that the Transformers are in league with the Dire Wraiths and must be destroyed, Colton went on hiding and became the international criminal known as "Baron Ironblood", which made him cross paths with the Action Man Program.

[29] As the Iron Ring attacked Cybertron, Colton sent Doctor Mindbender (disguised as Ironblood) as a decoy while he searched the planet's core in order to power the Talisman and destroy the Transformers.

He then magically teleports everyone back to Cybertron's surface, where Colton sadly surrenders, having realised that he helped an even worst enemy to ensure Earth's incoming destruction, rather than saving it.