Synopsis
Sensational She-Hulk In Ceremony #1 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
Twenty years ago Carlton Beatrice spent time on the Keewazi reservation and mastered the male side of shamanism but not the female side. But he also learnt to steal and consume souls, enabling him to acquire female shaman energy. (He killed Wyatt Wingfoot's aunt Miriam, who also had shamanic powers.) Since then he has become head of Carlton Industries, and has also been gathering totems that will enable him to steal all the female energy in the world. He now only needs one more totem, a basket.
Carlton can't steal the basket or buy it, he must be given it. It is currently in the possession of Wyatt Wingfoot's grandmother Roberta Elk Step. She sends it to Jennifer Walters, anonymously without explanation. Jen instinctively rejects Carlton's offer to donate any amount she wants to charity if she will give him the basket.
Jen and Wyatt had a romantic relationship when She-Hulk was a member of the Fantastic Four, but they broke up. Wyatt is still living in the Baxter Building, and is just starting a law degree.
The basket is supposed to bring Jen and Wyatt together, so that Jen can be Wyatt's spirit guide in his vision quest, and also provide the balancing female energy. Jen feels her biological clock ticking. She and Wyatt both regret splitting up. The basket's influence gets mixed up with this, so that first Jen asks Wyatt to be a surrogate father, which he rejects, and then Wyatt asks Jen to marry him, which she accepts.
Jen meets Mavis, an old friend from law school, when an abortion clinic is bombed. Mavis gives Jen advice and organises her bridal shower with Wasp and Invisible Woman. There are other Avengers/Fantastic Four female guests: Captain Marvel II, Scarlet Witch, Tigra (probably Alicia Storm, and possibly Crystal).
Carlton's second in command Michael Souris sends a Native American demon Anung-Ite to kill She-Hulk and steal the basket (humorously with a to-do list memo). Needless to say it doesn't work, but the fight makes Jen too late for her bridal shower.
Carlton has a jar of wafers, which are souls he has stolen. Every now and then he eats one. Carlton is angry with Michael because She-Hulk must give him the basket willingly. He steals Michael's soul as punishment, but I don't think he eats it because Michael is still around to obey his commands, here and in the 2nd issue.
Jen and Wyatt go to see Roberta Elk Step and Wyatt's sister Rain Falling West. Roberta explains that Carlton Beatrice sees himself fulfilling an unspecified prophecy. Only the chief of the Keewazi can stop him, using shaman magic. Wyatt should be the current chief, but he has declined the honour and doesn't believe in shaman magic.