VIPs Blanchard And Martin To Attend Horror Realm Con This Weekend

By Thomas Leturgey

For more than 17 years, Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin have been the anchors of the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA), Pittsburgh’s professional wrestling organization. And for several of those years, the “Enforcer” and “Face of Pittsburgh” have appeared at Horror Realm Con, Pittsburgh’s convention dedicated to all things Horror Entertainment.

Blanchard and Martin, the “VIPs” have ruled the professional wrestling market in Pittsburgh. Blanchard is a former 6-time KSWA World Champion, and Martin is a former two-time KSWA World Champion. They each have held singles titles in the KSWA, and are former tag team champions. Blanchard’s title reign success is hard to beat anywhere in the world of independent professional wrestling. Several years ago, Martin was chosen as the “Greatest KSWA Megastar” of all-time.

The duo has battled many big names throughout the years. They recently wrestled Demolition—Ax and Smash—after losing the KSWA tag team championships to them in 2009.

Blanchard and Martin will be at Horror Realm this weekend, meeting wrestling fans, taking pictures and signing autographs. They sat with George “The Animal” Steele when he attended Horror Realm in 2013. Both men earned a great friendship with Steele, who passed away on February 16.

The KSWA will be promoting their events as well. The next KSWA event is the 10^th Annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament, March 25 at Spirit Lounge in Lawrenceville. In addition to the tournament, the KSWA Hall of Fame, Class of 2017 will be celebrated. Legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter has already been announced as a member of this year’s Hall of Fame class. The KSWA Hall of Fame, the longest-running independent wrestling Hall of Fame in the country, boasts among its members, Bobby “Hurricane” Hunt, Steele, Dominic DeNucci, Donna Christiantello, photographer Howard Kernats, Bucky Palermo, T-Rantula, Lord Zoltan and in his last independent wrestling appearance anywhere, Bruno Sammartino.

This year’s Horror Realm Con features a roster of popular horror movie stars and veterans like Reggie Bannister, Diane Franklin, Amanda Wyss, Suzanne Snyder, and others.

Horror Realm Con has served as a gathering place for fans of zombie movies as well over the years. “Chilly” Bill Cardille and Lori Cardille were frequent guests in the past, as was Kyra Schon and others from Night of the Living Dead.

Many vendors and stars of the local Horror Movie community also sell memorabilia, books, DVDs, and art. It also serves as a networking opportunity. There are celebrity panel discussions, tattoo contests, movie viewings, contests and a Saturday night party.

Horror Realm Con is sponsored in part by Pop Culture Comics. Horror Realm Con starts Friday at the Double Tree Green Tree, 500 Mansfield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15205. For more information, go to horrorealmcon.com.