This January, the Web-Head embraces a new chapter in his life in Superior Spider-Man #1, kicking off the all-new ongoing series from the amazing creative team of writer Dan Slott and artist Ryan Stegman! As part of Marvel NOW!, Superior Spider-Man joins a number of titles that will take the Marvel Universe in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry's top creators join the top Super Heroes to deliver all-new ongoing series, great for new and lapsed readers alike!

Peter Parker has spent a lifetime living up to the responsibilities his powers foisted upon him but his Amazing story finally ends dramatically in the historic Spider-Man #700. NOW! the new Spider-Man has arrived and he is better in every single way. Smarter, stronger…Superior.

"This is still very much the world of Spider-Man. There may be a new Spider-Man here, doing things in a new and different way, but you're going to see the Spider-cast reacting to this," said writer Dan Slott in an interview with Marvel.com. "You're going to see how this Spider-Man will deal with our Spider-Man's villains. How will he react to this Spider-Man's supporting cast? That is clearly the world of this book. The world hasn't changed, just the hero."

So... a 'new' Spider-Man?

As in, not Peter Parker?

Via ComicBook.com:

Potential spoilers beyond this point, though, so don't blame us if it turns out to be true.

In any case, the writer composed a tweet a few days ago that has (finally) caught the attention of the comics press. Partly because it was deleted at some point between when he made it and when it started being reported earlier tonight, which tends to lend it just a bit more credibility than if it were still up and active.

The tweet appears to refer to Spider-Man as "Miguel," something that caught the eye of fans online who already suspected that this new Superior Spider-Man could be Miguel O'Hara, the star of the long-since-cancelled Spider-Man 2099 by Peter David and Rick Leonardi. Slott has written the character before–in the 2010 video game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

(Preview via iFanboy)

I know that comic book collectors are a sensitive lot who are apt to complain of any changes that challenge the status quot. However, and this has long been my opinion on such reactions, if you have not been collecting the series your opinion isn't very well informed by the actual facts. In this case, Dan Slott has led the Spider-Man series into a new era of fantastic adventure and with him at the writer's desk I am secure in the belief that the new (admittedly poorly named) series will also live up to that high level of quality.

Even the most devout naysayers have been won over by the preview art above, so I hope that any readers who see it here will be similarly moved.

In short, if you are a regular reader of Spider-Man this should be more of the same and if not this should be a great time to jump on board.