This team-up/crossover between the Marvel and Malibu Universes is a follow-up of sorts to the recent meeting between the Avengers and Ultraforce, and is notable for the interior and cover artwork by Norm Breyfogle, one of my favorite Batman artists. As well as Prime from the Ultraverse, this issue also introduces a new patriotic hero, and features several versions of former U.S. president Bill Clinton (and one of his daughter Chelsea, who has an interesting connection to Prime).
Our story begins with Captain America in the Marvel Universe, on his way to see his President Clinton, when he is mysteriously transported to the Ultraverse…
…where no one recognizes him or the secret password. (It’s “Bernie,” but don’t tell Sharon!)
It’s nice to see Cap’s old exclamation “God and country” make a comeback—that never seemed to catch on like “it’s clobberin’ time” or “my stars and garters.”
Cap leaps through a window that he expected to be open—oops—and meets a different Clinton than he expected, appearing at first cartoonishly surprised and then cartoonishly villainous.
And finally our two stars meet. (Cap mainly interacted with Hardcase in the Avengers/Ultraforce crossover; if he met Prime, it was likely in the context of the grand battle at the end of that tale.)
Prime has powers similar to type and level to Superman, but is no match for Cap in terms of battle prowess, as the latter tries to protect the president from what he perceives as a threat.
Prime continues to fight Cap while Clinton is quicker to catch on to what type of person Cap is.
If Prime’s dialogue and behavior seems childlike, there’s a reason for that, which we’ll see soon—but it is related to the fact that his face is like putty when Cap’s shield hits it (bouncing back with a resounding “PLORP”).
Our heroes share notes, with Prime revealing that he’s friends with Chelsea Clinton and that he’s met Spider-Man (both Ben Reilly and Peter Parker, even becoming Spider-Prime for a spell), although neither remembers their teams meeting (as explained at the end of that story).
Once Cap and Prime accept that they’re on the same side, Clinton sends them to investigate mysterious goings-on, and they have a strange exchange about the relationship between the American government and its people, with Prime sounding more like the usual Cap than Cap does.
What shocks Cap above is yet another Prime, this one with all-too-familiar accents to his costume.
Cap sounds more like himself here as he quotes Samuel Johnson on false or performative patriotism.
Now it’s Prime’s turn to be surprised as he warns his new friend about Liberty, who accuses Cap of the very same thing he accused the new Prime of above.
As the four continue to fight, we learn that a corrupt government agent named Shoat is behind all of this, having found “sketch” versions of Prime and Bill Clinton in the temporary merged universe created in the last crossover, whom he brought back to the Ultraverse to help him take over America.
Cap finds Liberty’s claims to patriotism more sincere, while Prime seems to recognize his voice as that of a soldier who once helped him, who we later learn was given a treatment similar to Project Rebirth to better serve his country (but actually served Shoat).
Eventually, “Bad” Prime and Liberty prevail, but when the former goes to execute his fallen foes, Liberty intervenes, giving Prime the chance to grab Cap and fly away—and yes, that’s Prime below, although Cap doesn’t realize it either, mistaking his verdant hue for another large figure of ambiguous intent.
After they fall to the ground, a much smaller figure emerges from the Nickelodeon slime, and Cap learns the truth about Prime: He’s just a wee small lad named Kevin Green (natch) with the power of glow-up. (I don’t know, I like magic lightning better.)
Cap blows Kevin’s mom’s mind before showing he’s ready to fight threats to America in any dimension.
Cap looks genuinely frightened (or disgusted) as Kevin transforms back into Prime in the backseat of Mom’s car (while she just wonders how this is her life).
The good guys surprise the bad guys by bursting into the White House, with Cap deviously shadowed in black—which works better for Batman, to be honest—while Prime warns his evil doppelgänger to keep away from Chelsea Clinton (whom he was creeping on before they were interrupted).
Chelsea quickly figures out which Prime is which and flees, with Liberty ordered to follow her, but Cap has other ideas, including continuing their earlier discussion about patriotism and duty.
The evil Clinton flees as well, giving Cap a chance to ask Liberty about whose cause he is serving before he lends his shield to Prime…
…just in the nick of time. (Prime-Time!) And Liberty finally starts to embrace his doubts and trust Captain America.
After Prime knocks the goop off his evil twin, the Secret Service arrives after Cap unties the real (in the Ultraverse) Bill Clinton, who gives Liberty a new name: Ultra-Patriot.
Those vibratory matrices return the bad Prime and Clinton to their own universe, with the normal Clinton unaware of what “his” Shoat is capable of, but still sending Liberty to look into it while offering him a new role in his administration. (And Chelsea starts to figure out what’s behind, or inside, her buddy Prime.)
Liberty thanks Cap for the inspiration, which Cap naturally deflects before saying farewell to Prime and expressing relief that there are good people in every dimension willing to fight for what is right.
Unfortunately we haven’t seen Liberty/Ultra-Patriot since… but there’s always a chance he will return!
ISSUE DETAILS
Prime/Captain America #1, March 1996: Gerald Jones and Len Strazewski (writers), Norm Breyfogle (pencils and inks), Michael Tuccinard and Malibu Color (colors), Vickie Williams (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Not yet collected.
ALSO THIS MONTH: Captain America #449, Avengers #396, Iron Man #326, and Thor #496 (March 1996)
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 
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