J. Michael Straczynski has been confirmed as the new writer on Amazing Spider-Man, beginning "somewhere between" issues #27 and #30, and replacing current writer Howard Mackie.
In case you hadn't noticed, the generally feeling around the staff of the Unofficial Spider-Man page was that Spider-Man was going nowhere under the leadership of Howard Mackie. A rousing chorus of approval was heard from pretty much every Spider-Fan within earshot.
Between Straczynski, Paul Jenkins, Joe Quesada, and even Sam Raimi - theres a general feeling that a new age of Spider-Man may well be dawning.
As background...
Straczynski is the creator of the TV show Babylon Five as well as the creator and writer of the comics Midnight Nation, and Rising Stars, both released by Top Cow (a division of Image).
JMS is an accomplished writer of short stories, TV scripts, stage plays, radio dramas, plus two acclaimed novels. In 1995 he was selected by Newsweek magazine as one of their "Fifty For the Future," described as "innovators who will shape our lives as we move into the 2lst Century".
He was also the 1996 Hugo award winner - the award for Science Fiction writing. He is currently way hot. He's been a teacher, a counselor, a journalist, and a radio talk-show host. He writes 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for his birthday, New Year's, and Christmas.