Initiative". Independent comics Many female readers sway towards independent works, where there is a lot more female representation. The independent comics industry, whose products are often referred to as indies, have become a huge source of authentically represented females in comics. More women than ever before are becoming comic book artists and writers, and many of them have flocked to the independent industry. This, combined with a large female readership, has resulted in greatly increased numbers of female-driven stories in this industry. Manga, another form of graphic novel, has also led to a rise in female readership of comics. The trend towards hyper-sexualized female characters in mainstream comics is part of the reason that independent comics have become so popular among women; independent artists, regardless of gender, tend to draw both male and female characters in a similar style. When those characters do have noticeable sex characteristics, such as breasts or broader shoulders, they are not exaggerated to the point that they are in the mainstream comic book industry. LGBTQ superheroes Recently LGBTQ superheroes are becoming more prevalent and available. In 2011 Batwoman title DC reinvented Batwoman from a casual sidekick in need of saving to an independent lesbian superheroine. This version fights back against female stereotypes, and lacks the traditional female superhero physique. Her body sports more muscles and less chest and hip padding. She also lacks the traditional long flowing hair, instead sporting a short cut. She fights the more grotesque images of womanhood including the gorgons, her undead mother, and the ghost of her previous incarnation. In 2016, Wonder Woman was announced by Greg Rucka, comic book writer, to be bisexual. Although, in her early comics, Wonder Woman was known to have possible same-sex attraction subtext, her sexuality was downplayed afterwards. Black women in comics African-American women did not start appearing regularly in comic books until the 1970s, in the Bronze Age of comic books. One of the first black female superheroes, and one of the most popular female black superheroes to this day, was Storm of the X-Men, who had the power to control the weather. She first appeared in 1975. In several reincarnations of the X-Men, she is the leader. Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) first appeared in 1982, and received her own comic in 1989. Captain Marvel had the power to transform herself into any form of energy, and obtains the properties of that energy.