With 1.09, it seems to change the format enough to break the libGDX runtime with the error (even using the example files):

Exception in thread "LWJGL Application" com.badlogic.gdx.utils.GdxRuntimeException: java.lang.ClassCastException: com.badlogic.gdx.utils.Array cannot be cast to com.badlogic.gdx.utils.OrderedMap
	at com.badlogic.gdx.backends.lwjgl.LwjglApplication$1.run(LwjglApplication.java:113)

Caused by: java.lang.ClassCastException: com.badlogic.gdx.utils.Array cannot be cast to com.badlogic.gdx.utils.OrderedMap
	at com.esotericsoftware.spine.SkeletonJson.readSkeletonData(SkeletonJson.java:63)
	at com.esotericsoftware.spine.MixTest.create(MixTest.java:37)
	at com.badlogic.gdx.backends.lwjgl.LwjglApplication.mainLoop(LwjglApplication.java:127)
	at com.badlogic.gdx.backends.lwjgl.LwjglApplication$1.run(LwjglApplication.java:110)

Old format:

"bones": {
	"root": { "length": "0" },
	"hip": { "parent": "root", "length": "0", "x": "0.64", "y": "114.41" },
	"left upper leg": { "parent": "hip", "length": "50.39", "x": "14.45", "y": "2.81", "rotation": "-89.09" },
	"left lower leg": { "parent": "left upper leg", "length": "49.89", "x": "56.34", "y": "0.98", "rotation": "-16.65" },
	"left foot": { "parent": "left lower leg", "length": "46.5", "x": "58.94", "y": "-7.61", "rotation": "102.43" },
	"right upper leg": { "parent": "hip", "length": "42.45", "x": "-20.07", "y": "-6.83", "rotation": "-97.49" },
	"right lower leg": { "parent": "right upper leg", "length": "58.52", "x": "42.99", "y": "-0.61", "rotation": "-14.34" },
	"right foot": { "parent": "right lower leg", "length": "45.45", "x": "64.88", "y": "0.04", "rotation": "110.3" },
	"torso": { "parent": "hip", "length": "85.82", "x": "-6.42", "y": "1.97", "rotation": "93.92" },
	"neck": { "parent": "torso", "length": "18.38", "x": "81.67", "y": "-6.34", "rotation": "-1.51" },
	"head": { "parent": "neck", "length": "68.28", "x": "20.93", "y": "11.59", "rotation": "-13.92" },
	"right shoulder": { "parent": "torso", "length": "37.24", "x": "76.02", "y": "18.14", "rotation": "133.88" },
	"right arm": { "parent": "right shoulder", "length": "36.74", "x": "37.6", "y": "0.31", "rotation": "36.32" },
	"right hand": { "parent": "right arm", "length": "15.32", "x": "36.9", "y": "0.34", "rotation": "2.35" },
	"left shoulder": { "parent": "torso", "length": "35.43", "x": "74.04", "y": "-20.38", "rotation": "-156.96" },
	"left arm": { "parent": "left shoulder", "length": "35.62", "x": "37.85", "y": "-2.34", "rotation": "28.16" },
	"left hand": { "parent": "left arm", "length": "11.52", "x": "35.62", "y": "0.07", "rotation": "2.7" },
	"pelvis": { "parent": "hip", "length": "0", "x": "1.41", "y": "-6.57" }
},

New format:

"bones": [
	{ "name": "root" },
	{ "name": "hip", "parent": "root", "x": 0.64, "y": 114.41 },
	{ "name": "left upper leg", "parent": "hip", "length": 50.39, "x": 14.45, "y": 2.81, "rotation": -89.09 },
	{ "name": "left lower leg", "parent": "left upper leg", "length": 56.45, "x": 51.78, "y": 3.46, "rotation": -16.65 },
	{ "name": "left foot", "parent": "left lower leg", "length": 46.5, "x": 64.02, "y": -8.67, "rotation": 102.43 },
	{ "name": "right upper leg", "parent": "hip", "length": 45.76, "x": -18.27, "rotation": -101.13 },
	{ "name": "right lower leg", "parent": "right upper leg", "length": 58.52, "x": 50.21, "y": 0.6, "rotation": -10.7 },
	{ "name": "right foot", "parent": "right lower leg", "length": 45.45, "x": 64.88, "y": 0.04, "rotation": 110.3 },
	{ "name": "torso", "parent": "hip", "length": 85.82, "x": -6.42, "y": 1.97, "rotation": 94.95 },
	{ "name": "neck", "parent": "torso", "length": 18.38, "x": 83.64, "y": -1.78, "rotation": 0.9 },
	{ "name": "head", "parent": "neck", "length": 68.28, "x": 19.09, "y": 6.97, "rotation": -8.94 },
	{ "name": "right shoulder", "parent": "torso", "length": 49.95, "x": 81.9, "y": 6.79, "rotation": 130.6 },
	{ "name": "right arm", "parent": "right shoulder", "length": 36.74, "x": 49.95, "y": -0.12, "rotation": 40.12 },
	{ "name": "right hand", "parent": "right arm", "length": 15.32, "x": 36.9, "y": 0.34, "rotation": 2.35 },
	{ "name": "left shoulder", "parent": "torso", "length": 44.19, "x": 78.96, "y": -15.75, "rotation": -156.96 },
	{ "name": "left arm", "parent": "left shoulder", "length": 35.62, "x": 44.19, "y": -0.01, "rotation": 28.16 },
	{ "name": "left hand", "parent": "left arm", "length": 11.52, "x": 35.62, "y": 0.07, "rotation": 2.7 },
	{ "name": "pelvis", "parent": "hip", "x": 1.41, "y": -6.57 }
],

Seems to work for binary still, (but I need to edit the JSON each time since my texture packer doesn't include tons of subfolders when it packs, which I have to remove from the JSON)