Death-Stroke was hired to silence David Ishima, who had learned that a new office building being constructed in San Francisco had secret design modifications. The project had a hidden core, which a Yakuza syndicate planned to use as its headquarters. Death-Stroke's men captured Ishima, as well as his lover Jessica Drew, and took them to the building site to kill them both. Using her bioelectric powers to confuse the villains, Drew hurled herself from the building. This allowed her to change into Spider-Woman, and save Ishima when Death-Stroke threw him from the ledge as well.