The second issue of this set up for the big Avengers vs. X-Men event and none of us have any clue what’s going on.

Cable has already taken out Captain America and Falcon, with the help of some of Magneto’s mutant containment technology.  Now its time for Cable vs. Iron Man.  Cable has his own Stark suit and purposely designs a virus to infect Tony’s present day Iron Man outfit.  The Red Hulk shows up at the end and we’re set up for the next issue.

As I said last time, I don’t think this is the real Avengers team.  Maybe a team from the future or an alternate Earth, but I don’t feel that Cable is taking out the current day 616 Avengers.  For one, if he was then that would be the big crossover event, not this set up series that no one is really paying attention to.  Also, Falcon being there really throws it all off.  No Spider-Man or Luke Cage.

Cable looks much older than the last time we saw him, even more rugged if that was possible.  Whatever happens here will cause ripples in either space or time or realities and those ripples will set up what’s about to happen.

The art is fine, good battles and a nice slightly altered style for the flash backs (future flash forward backs?) featuring Cable and Hope.  The writing is good but is hindered by it being part of a larger story.  When this series is completed the writing can be weighed as either good or bad.  It could be amazing, there could be so much being set up that I’m not aware of yet.  Whether or not the ending pays off will decide my final opinion on the writing.

If you’re curious about the AvX story then this is an OK extra little thing but so far unnecessary to anything.  Not essential reading, writing or art.  But not to be tossed away yet either.