The Winter Men

by Brett Lewis, John Paul Leon (Illustrator)

In the modern, post-collapse Soviet Union, criminal gangs rule under the aegis of a crumbled government, and old soldiers roam the streets...as do old superheroes. One such man is Kris Kalenov, a former member of the Russian elite military force 'Red 11', now a Moscow policeman. Caught up in a kidnapping case, Kalenov encounters the dark heart of the New Russia at every turn, bringing him into conflict and allegiance with friends and enemies alike as he searches for both a missing girl, and the secret of the Soviet super-project codenamed 'Winter'. Author Brett Lewis and artist John Paul Leon ("Static") present a tour-de-force graphic novel soaked in vodka, blood and sweat. This title is for adults only!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comic Book, Espionage, Science Fiction, Crime

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

Reviews

[Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore the stupid reviews on Goodreads: literally one of the best comics written this century. Lewis turns in the script of a lifetime with dialog that feels so authentic, it reads like literal Google Translations of Russian slang (I begged a few Russian friends to read it to check the authenticity, but no dice before that season of my life passed). The plot is good, but hampered by it's truncated run (you can tell Lewis had at least 2-5 more issues of script in mind by the time issue 5 rolls around). And there is no praise effusive enough for J.P Leon's work here. He was a modern master. This was his best work.

It's a crime against comics as an art form that this stays perpetually out of print.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best reads so far in 2010. this book recreates a glorious world of the new russia. it tells the story of what happens to the old weapons when they are no longer needed (or wanted). at heart this is a story about a family coming together to finish what they were always meant to do. i loved the dialogue and the art is breathtaking. highly recommended

[M.i. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read. In fact I read it twice just to make sure I wasn’t missing relevant details because it’s packed with all sorts of information. I am amazed at how well the dialogue is constructed, great characters and the artwork is top notch as well.

[Pedro Moreo Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un cómic con un dibujo magnífico y muy interesante (refleja un ambiente increíble) pero que por desgracia es bastante difícil de seguir, bastante confuso. El argumento es muy complicado y a veces inconexo. Salta de unas escenas a otras y de unas ideas a otras y a veces no se entiende muy bien porqué..

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

" La nobleza consiste en seguir adelante, ¿no?."

Rusia esta rota, los camaradas ahora quieren dinero, las mafias se esparcen sobre el globo , nadie sabe en donde quedo la URRS antigua,comunista y orgullosa y nadie les hablo sobre como ser capitalista.

Seguimos a un soldado que aun esta aprendiendo a moverse en una nueva URRS ,en donde todo mundo quiere dinero y mira con nostalgia el pasado, el país ya no es grande, esta roto por dentro y la guerra se perdió pero nadie les dijo que se termino, igual que sus camaradas, que malviven como guardespaldas, mafiosos, soldados o presos, todos son la cara de la idea del autor, entemezclada con la idea de que hubierón superheroes que surcaron el cielo peor no todo termino bien.

El comic es duro, poderoso , te golpea la acra con una idea compleja y fuerte , mientras no te lo cuenta todo en los tipicos tres actos, aca es mas real a la vida, existen planes que se detienen por como es la vida, se aparece un corte de luz, quehjas de la esposa, enfermedades de familiares, todo mientras los planes de guerra siguen activos.Los dialogos son duros, parecen llenos de poesia y mala leche aunque la idea del guionista puede perderse en ocasiones, cumple con su objetivo. El arte de J.P .Leon es como siempre en el, oscuro, duro y cumplidor,desde el día a día en Rusia ,junto al color de Dave Stewart nos hacen dar frió, nos hacen no querer en ese lugar, se siente el sudor de los soldados , el hedor de las filas interminables y la violencia de sus disparos y golpes,ajustándose a los textos larguísimos. Siento que la obra es buena, y si hubiera tenido una mayor duración, de dos o tres números al menos estaríamos hablando de un comic respetable, con 25 o mas números hubiera sido obra épica, al nivel de Scalped o 100 Balas, y si, muchos se pueden llevar manos a la cabeza, pero esa es mi sincera y comunista opinión,cerdo capitalista!!!.

[Jean-christophe Boudreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Winter Men follows a Russian police man who investigates what seems to be a normal kidnapping but turns out things are more than ordinary as it has something to do with a Soviet experiment to create supermen. I personal thought it was a very well told tale and was a interesting take on the superhero genre with a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. This is certainly a book I would recomend to people who like comics that are about superheros or has something to do with conspiracies.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic comic.

[Neil Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leon does the work of his life

[Dylan Magoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was about a Russian cop who is assigned case. setting is Russia after the fall of the USSR the setting fits the story because Russia was in chaos during this time and a lot of crime was going on. plot the basic plot of this book was about a cop trying to solve a kidnapping case that turns out to be very different than what it seems with Russian KGB men trying to be turned into super humans. the police officer is very believable as a character but many of the others are not very believable like the super humans trying to be created. in this comic the art is very good it gave the comic an airy look to make it be suspicious the most common symbol in this comic is the hammer and sickle/ USSR flag.
theme everything is not as straight forward as it seems.

[Bill Coffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brett Lewis’s epic story of an ex-Spetznaz trying to track down a stolen liver from a remnant of an old Soviet super-soldier program turns into a rambling journey through the hyper-corrupt new Russia. So much so that by the time we get to the end, it’s pretty clear Lewis has been corrupted by his own story and must somehow try to land the plane before it runs out of fuel. John Paul Leon’s artwork is terrific throughout - a true highlight in a story whose reach far exceeds its grasp.

[Carolyn Watson-Dubisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing story that begins with the kidnapping of a little girl from an apartment in Moscow. A special agent is assigned to the task of searching her out and follows a trail to Brooklyn, NY. Why was she taken? Who is she? The story has surprising revelations and the child is so much more than she seems. The art is fantastic and makes for a beautiful book. I highly recommend this for any fan of comic books.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cool story with interesting characters and suitably sharp but muted art.

[Gabriel James Maurice Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, truly

[Joe Informatico · Rating 4 out of 5]

The surviving members of a Soviet-era Spetsnaz unit of supersoldiers struggle in post-Cold War Moscow, as a cop, commando, mob boss, and bodyguard. Inevitably, they are all reunited for one last mission with possible ties to their unit.

The plot is almost an afterthought, as most of this book focuses on the characters--especially Kris, the fatalistic protagonist--and their relationships. The level of detail Lewis and Leon give to post-Soviet Russia is incredible and contributes highly to the verisimilitude of the story. Most of the book is confused and messy but I'm absolutely convinced that it's by design.

You might find the first three books a struggle in comprehension, but the explosive climaxes of the last two books are worth it.

[Phillip Goodman]

Gritty doesn't even begin to describe this exceptional frank miller-esque book. Each inky brush stroke is like a line on the face of one of the hard boiled, harshly weathered characters that populate this complex world. The writing transforms what might have been little more than cliched 'russky speak' into pure noir poetry, and the design and layouts are sharp and artfully grained like finely chiseled stone. All in all a very challenging work, not one for a quick read.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was hard to rate. 3 stars? 4 stars? This was very wordy and dense, and this combined with a mysteriousness that bordered on "hard-to-follow" made this a tough read. But the artwork was edgy and tight and super-strong throughout. The background premise and the plot (though hard to see at times) were both pretty cool. And as far as having a Russian vibe or flavor it was again, super solid.

[Emeelu · Rating 3 out of 5]

not recommended for those who arent familiar with the story. It has so much promise but most of its parts felt too rushed. I couldn't get myself accustomed to its pace and narration. This novel was shelved for a time, which got me wondering if it was too edited or revised? not a great intro for the series

[Nancy Martira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it possible to love a comic when you have absolutely no idea what is happening in the plot? It turns out, you can. Funny, tragic, and oh-so-very Russian, you'll wonder how a guy named Brett Lewis has so much insight into the post-Soviet era of "Reform."

[LordOfDorkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought provoking, gritty and well crafted work. Layered, atmospheric and intellectual. Not the sort of thing you read through once and expect to pick up everything. The little boy in me wishes they played up the superhero stuff a bit more, but psshh whatever. Its still a daisy of a read.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book made me feel dumb. I couldn't understand it.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, though could have been great. Just a bit too complicated and far too much exposition. The storyline is unique, but they just don't quite pull it off.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts slow, but builds to an amazing finale. I don't pretend to know a lot about post-Soviet Russian culture, but this at least feels very authentic.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this had a really interesting concept and the first pages really grabbed me, but the more I read the less interest I had.

[Neven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good art, good writing - on a page-by-page basis. Overall, the plot is a bit confusing and unbalanced, but it's a fun read.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

A lot of potential, but the pieces never seem to fit together as tightly as the author intends it to.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

via NYPL - an unexceptional post-USSR, corrupt Russia thriller. Nice art, some good dialogue, but a plot that doesn't stay with you long enough to write about it on GoodReads.

[Rachel Brune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic art and solid storytelling.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and sad. Despite the fact that the book was about Russian supers, it had a surprisingly real feel to it. As if it was a true Russian spy story with superheroes thrown into the mix.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic. Best new series I have read since Fables.