[1]The book was intended for publication under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint as an eight-issue limited series in collaboration with colorist Dave Stewart and letterer John Workman.
[4] After the six-month delay and a change of editor (to Scott Dunbier), issue #4 (April 2006)'s cover stated that the book was now a six-issue miniseries.
[9] Comic Bulletin gave the first issue full marks and said "Brett Lewis comes off as an astute observer of the contemporary Russian cultural milieu, and, via an injection of superheroic fantasy into real Soviet history, he draws powerful portraits of his tragic protagonist, Kalenov, and the nation as a whole.
"[10] Stumblebum Studios was impressed by the research saying,[The Winter Men] "is one hell of a dense book, packed to the gills with details and insights into Russia post-Reform".
"[12] Ain't It Cool News concluded their review of the first three issues with a similar opinion "is a book with a singular voice and style the likes of which I haven’t seen in quite a while.