New Zealand-produced martial arts action film "The Dead Lands" is slated to hit select North American theaters this Friday, along with a simultaneous video on demand and iTunes release -- and to help boost the film's stature among genre fans, it's got a poster by acclaimed comic book artist Darick Robertson, of "Transmetropolitan" and "The Boys" fame. Spinoff has the exclusive first look at the poster.

Here's the official description of the movie: "Hongi (James Rolleston) -- a Māori chieftain’s teenage son -- must avenge his father's murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains, led by Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden Dead Lands and forge an uneasy alliance with the mysterious "Warrior" (Lawrence Makoare), a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years."

Directed by Toa Fraser, the film has attracted praise from some rather lofty filmmakers, as used in the movie's promotional materials -- fellow New Zealand countryman Peter Jackson called it, "A powerful and gripping tale of revenge set against a dark and haunted landscape of pre colonial New Zealand;" James Cameron dubbed it, "A powerful and primal coming of age story that's an absolute adrenaline rush."

"The Dead Lands" arrives stateside on Friday, April 17.