The changes keep coming at Devil's Due Publishing.

Within hours of news that Editor Cody DeMatteis and Marketing Manager Brian Warmoth had been laid off, CBR News now has another exclusive piece of news on the changes at Devil's Due: CEO PJ Bickett has stepped down.

In a brief interview with CBR News, Bickett said, " I have officially separated from Devil's Due."

"I have really enjoyed being a part of the DDP family for the past several years, and now it is time for me to move on to new challenges," Bickett said. "It was an honor working with such talented people, and I look forward to watching the company evolve."

Bickett will be focusing on his other comics/creative services company, Kunoichi, Inc.. That company became linked with Devil's Due this summer when rumors indicated that Devil's Due was acquiring publisher Archaia Studios Press. Instead, it was Kunoichi that was negotiating with Archaia.

Kunoichi was cofounded by Blaylock, but he exited the company in 2005 to focus on Devil's Due. Now, in an echo of that move, Bickett has left Devil's Due to focus on Kunoichi.

The companies are further linked because both are based in Chicago and, until recently, shared an office.

Bickett's departure was made official effective Dec. 1, with Devil's Due President Josh Blaylock stepping into the CEO role on an interim basis, according to information released by the company. Earlier, when asked about the layoffs at Devil's Due, Blaylock said those changes owed to the flagging economy and "all I can really say is we're going to be going through a little bit of restructuring."

"Coming from a strategic planning background, PJ was able to bring a fresh set of eyes to Devil's Due," Blaylock said in a release. "It has given us a unique perspective on the industry and where it's going in years to come, and helped better prepare us for that."

Bickett, who will remain as an "interim consultant" at Devil's Due, didn't comment further on why he left. He came to the company three years ago as an executive consultant and, for the past 14 months, served as its CEO. One notable move during his tenure was the opening of Devil's Due's Los Angeles office.

Devil's Due was best known as the publisher of "G.I. Joe," until IDW acquired the rights to that book this year. Devil's Due currently publishes Tim Seeley's "Hack/Slash" and Milo Ventimiglia's "Rest," among other titles.