The second clip from The Avengers has gone online.  The clip features Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) arguing over the Tesseract (the glowing cube from Captain America: The First Avenger) and the "Phase-2 Prototypes", whatever those are.  It's not the action-packed, quippy stuff of the previously released clip, but it's still nice to see the fine, non-superhero folks at S.H.I.E.L.D. getting down to brass, Phase-2 Prototype tacks.Hit the jump to check out the clip, and click here for ten desktop wallpapers for the movie.  The film also stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, and Clark Gregg.  The Avengers opens in 3D on May 4th.Clip via The Late Show with David Letterman.

Here's the official synopsis for The Avengers:

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.