Chicago-based publisher Devil's Due Publishing has had its share of ups and downs over the course of its 15 years. After fighting back from layoffs, restructuring and complaints about non-payment to freelancers, DDP has been on-track for a slow but measured increase of its publishing efforts. But in December, the company was dealt another blow.

On Dec. 29, a multi-story building in Chicago where Devil's Due housed its inventory was consumed by a massive fire that destroyed most of the structure and virtually everything inside. In a message posted earlier this month on his Facebook page, company founder and CEO Josh Blaylock said he had been in the process of transferring the inventory to another facility, but much of the older DDP stock of comic books, graphic novels and other merchandise were in the building.

"So I haven't sent out a [press release] about it or anything, but this was a surprise that hit us for the new year," he wrote. "I recently began relocating things, but much of it was still there, and insurance was no longer covered at this address. Some retailers are telling me I should let the word out, but I dunno. The part I'm most bummed about is that the next items to be transfered were my personal archives - a few copies of everything ever published by Devil's Due since 2001 (a few thousand comics easily). Fortunately none of our NEW material was housed here."

Blaylock later  responded to commenters  passing along news that no one was hurt n the blaze, and thanked everyone for their support.

Here is a video of the fire filmed by a passerby to fully get the scope of the situation: