diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/BinaryInput.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/BinaryInput.as
index 702c51814..1d5fefac7 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/BinaryInput.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/BinaryInput.as
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 package spine {
 	import flash.utils.ByteArray;
 	
-	class BinaryInput {
+	internal class BinaryInput {
 		private var bytes : ByteArray;	
 		public var strings : Vector.<String> = new Vector.<String>();
 		
diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Color.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Color.as
index 65a88a8e1..ef54d60c7 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Color.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Color.as
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ package spine {
 		}
 
 		public function setFromString(hex : String) : Color {
+			if (hex.length != 8 && hex.length != 6) throw new ArgumentError("Hexadecimal color length must be 6 or 8: " + hex);
 			hex = hex.charAt(0) == '#' ? hex.substr(1) : hex;
 			this.r = parseInt(hex.substr(0, 2), 16) / 255.0;
 			this.g = parseInt(hex.substr(2, 2), 16) / 255.0;
@@ -108,5 +109,9 @@ package spine {
 			g = ((value & 0x0000ff00) >>> 8) / 255;
 			b = ((value & 0x000000ff)) / 255;
 		}
+
+		static public function fromString (hex : String) : Color {
+			return new Color(0, 0, 0, 0).setFromString(hex);
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/IkConstraint.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/IkConstraint.as
index fbcd5ba10..0847b5eb7 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/IkConstraint.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/IkConstraint.as
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ package spine {
 				}
 				var b : Number = bone.data.length * sx, dd : Number = Math.sqrt(tx * tx + ty * ty);
 				if ((compress && dd < b) || (stretch && dd > b) && b > 0.0001) {
-					var s : Number = (dd / b - 1) * alpha + 1;
-					sx *= s;
-					if (uniform) sy *= s;
+					var ss : Number = (dd / b - 1) * alpha + 1;
+					sx *= ss;
+					if (uniform) sy *= ss;
 				}
 			}
 			bone.updateWorldTransformWith(bone.ax, bone.ay, bone.arotation + rotationIK * alpha, sx, sy, bone.ashearX, bone.ashearY);
diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Skeleton.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Skeleton.as
index e8e0165a5..1d4428a7b 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Skeleton.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/Skeleton.as
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ package spine {
 		}
 
 		public function toString() : String {
-			return _data.name != null ? _data.name : super.toString();
+			return _data.name == null ? "null" : _data.name;
 		}
 
 		public function getBounds(offset : Vector.<Number>, size : Vector.<Number>, temp : Vector.<Number>) : void {
diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonData.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonData.as
index a1f4236b5..e41621a19 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonData.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonData.as
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ package spine {
 
 		// ---
 		public function toString() : String {
-			return name != null ? name : super.toString();
+			return name == null ? "null" : name;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonJson.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonJson.as
index dd518a48e..2378c26c9 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonJson.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/SkeletonJson.as
@@ -96,8 +96,6 @@ package spine {
 			if (skeletonMap) {
 				skeletonData.hash = skeletonMap["hash"];
 				skeletonData.version = skeletonMap["spine"];
-				if ("3.8.75" == skeletonData.version)
-					throw new Error("Unsupported skeleton data, please export with a newer version of Spine.");
 				skeletonData.x = skeletonMap["x"] || 0;
 				skeletonData.y = skeletonMap["y"] || 0;
 				skeletonData.width = skeletonMap["width"] || 0;
@@ -126,6 +124,10 @@ package spine {
 				boneData.shearY = Number(boneMap["shearY"] || 0);
 				boneData.transformMode = TransformMode[boneMap["transform"] || "normal"];
 				boneData.skinRequired = boneMap.hasOwnProperty("skin") ? boneMap["skin"] : false;
+
+				color = boneMap["color"];
+				if (color) boneData.color.setFromString(color);
+
 				skeletonData.bones.push(boneData);
 			}
 
@@ -138,14 +140,10 @@ package spine {
 				var slotData : SlotData = new SlotData(skeletonData.slots.length, slotName, boneData);
 
 				var color : String = slotMap["color"];
-				if (color) {
-					slotData.color.setFrom(toColor(color, 0), toColor(color, 1), toColor(color, 2), toColor(color, 3));
-				}
+				if (color) slotData.color.setFromString(color);
 
 				var dark : String = slotMap["dark"];
-				if (dark) {
-					slotData.darkColor = new Color(toColor(dark, 0), toColor(dark, 1), toColor(dark, 2), 0);
-				}
+				if (dark) slotData.darkColor = Color.fromString(dark);
 
 				slotData.attachmentName = slotMap["attachment"];
 				slotData.blendMode = BlendMode[slotMap["blend"] || "normal"];
@@ -248,15 +246,16 @@ package spine {
 
 				if (skinMap["bones"]) {
 					for (ii = 0; ii < skinMap["bones"].length; ii++) {
-						var boneData : BoneData = skeletonData.findBone(skinMap["bones"][ii]);
+						boneData = skeletonData.findBone(skinMap["bones"][ii]);
 						if (boneData == null) throw new Error("Skin bone not found: " + skinMap["bones"][ii]);
 						skin.bones.push(boneData);
 					}
 				}
 
+				var constraint : ConstraintData;
 				if (skinMap["ik"]) {
 					for (ii = 0; ii < skinMap["ik"].length; ii++) {
-						var constraint : ConstraintData = skeletonData.findIkConstraint(skinMap["ik"][ii]);
+						constraint = skeletonData.findIkConstraint(skinMap["ik"][ii]);
 						if (constraint == null) throw new Error("Skin IK constraint not found: " + skinMap["ik"][ii]);
 						skin.constraints.push(constraint);
 					}
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ package spine {
 
 				if (skinMap["transform"]) {
 					for (ii = 0; ii < skinMap["transform"].length; ii++) {
-						var constraint : ConstraintData = skeletonData.findTransformConstraint(skinMap["transform"][ii]);
+						constraint = skeletonData.findTransformConstraint(skinMap["transform"][ii]);
 						if (constraint == null) throw new Error("Skin transform constraint not found: " + skinMap["transform"][ii]);
 						skin.constraints.push(constraint);
 					}
@@ -272,7 +271,7 @@ package spine {
 
 				if (skinMap["path"]) {
 					for (ii = 0; ii < skinMap["path"].length; ii++) {
-						var constraint : ConstraintData = skeletonData.findPathConstraint(skinMap["path"][ii]);
+						constraint = skeletonData.findPathConstraint(skinMap["path"][ii]);
 						if (constraint == null) throw new Error("Skin path constraint not found: " + skinMap["path"][ii]);
 						skin.constraints.push(constraint);
 					}
@@ -351,10 +350,10 @@ package spine {
 					region.rotation = map["rotation"] || 0;
 					region.width = Number(map["width"] || 0) * scale;
 					region.height = Number(map["height"] || 0) * scale;
+
 					color = map["color"];
-					if (color) {
-						region.color.setFrom(toColor(color, 0), toColor(color, 1), toColor(color, 2), toColor(color, 3));
-					}
+					if (color) region.color.setFromString(color);
+
 					region.updateOffset();
 					return region;
 				case AttachmentType.mesh:
@@ -362,10 +361,10 @@ package spine {
 					var mesh : MeshAttachment = attachmentLoader.newMeshAttachment(skin, name, map["path"] || name);
 					if (!mesh) return null;
 					mesh.path = map["path"] || name;
+
 					color = map["color"];
-					if (color) {
-						mesh.color.setFrom(toColor(color, 0), toColor(color, 1), toColor(color, 2), toColor(color, 3));
-					}
+					if (color) mesh.color.setFromString(color);
+
 					mesh.width = Number(map["width"] || 0) * scale;
 					mesh.height = Number(map["height"] || 0) * scale;
 					if (map["parent"]) {
@@ -405,10 +404,10 @@ package spine {
 					point.x = map.hasOwnProperty("x") ? Number(map["x"]) * scale : 0;
 					point.y = map.hasOwnProperty("y") ? Number(map["y"]) * scale : 0;
 					point.rotation = map.hasOwnProperty("rotation") ? Number(map["rotation"]) : 0;
+
 					color = map["color"];
-					if (color) {
-						point.color.setFrom(toColor(color, 0), toColor(color, 1), toColor(color, 2), toColor(color, 3));
-					}
+					if (color) point.color.setFromString(color);
+
 					return point;
 				case AttachmentType.clipping:
 					var clip : ClippingAttachment = attachmentLoader.newClippingAttachment(skin, name);
@@ -422,10 +421,10 @@ package spine {
 
 					vertexCount = int(map["vertexCount"]);
 					readVertices(map, clip, vertexCount << 1);
+
 					color = map["color"];
-					if (color) {
-						clip.color.setFrom(toColor(color, 0), toColor(color, 1), toColor(color, 2), toColor(color, 3));
-					}
+					if (color) clip.color.setFromString(color);
+
 					return clip;
 			}
 
@@ -495,12 +494,8 @@ package spine {
 
 						frameIndex = 0;
 						for each (valueMap in values) {
-							var color : String = valueMap["color"];
-							var r : Number = toColor(color, 0);
-							var g : Number = toColor(color, 1);
-							var b : Number = toColor(color, 2);
-							var a : Number = toColor(color, 3);
-							colorTimeline.setFrame(frameIndex, Number(valueMap["time"] || 0), r, g, b, a);
+							var frameColor : Color = Color.fromString(valueMap["color"]);
+							colorTimeline.setFrame(frameIndex, Number(valueMap["time"] || 0), frameColor.r, frameColor.g, frameColor.b, frameColor.a);
 							readCurve(valueMap, colorTimeline, frameIndex);
 							frameIndex++;
 						}
@@ -512,12 +507,10 @@ package spine {
 
 						frameIndex = 0;
 						for each (valueMap in values) {
-							color = valueMap["light"];
+							var color : String = valueMap["light"];
 							var darkColor : String = valueMap["dark"];
-							var light : Color = new Color(0, 0, 0, 0);
-							var dark : Color = new Color(0, 0, 0, 0);
-							light.setFrom(toColor(color, 0), toColor(color, 1), toColor(color, 2), toColor(color, 3));
-							dark.setFrom(toColor(darkColor, 0), toColor(darkColor, 1), toColor(darkColor, 2), toColor(darkColor, 3));
+							var light : Color = Color.fromString(color);
+							var dark : Color = Color.fromString(darkColor);
 							twoColorTimeline.setFrame(frameIndex, Number(valueMap["time"] || 0), light.r, light.g, light.b, light.a, dark.r, dark.g, dark.b);
 							readCurve(valueMap, twoColorTimeline, frameIndex);
 							frameIndex++;
@@ -797,11 +790,6 @@ package spine {
 			}
 		}
 
-		static private function toColor(hexString : String, colorIndex : int) : Number {
-			if (hexString.length != 8 && hexString.length != 6) throw new ArgumentError("Color hexidecimal length must be 6 or 8, received: " + hexString);
-			return parseInt(hexString.substring(colorIndex * 2, colorIndex * 2 + 2), 16) / 255;
-		}
-
 		static private function getFloatArray(map : Object, name : String, scale : Number) : Vector.<Number> {
 			var list : Array = map[name];
 			var values : Vector.<Number> = new Vector.<Number>(list.length, true);
diff --git a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/animation/AnimationState.as b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/animation/AnimationState.as
index 9ef7c419d..ff7cb0d7c 100644
--- a/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/animation/AnimationState.as
+++ b/spine-as3/spine-as3/src/spine/animation/AnimationState.as
@@ -182,9 +182,10 @@ package spine.animation {
 				var timelineCount : int = current.animation.timelines.length;
 				var timelines : Vector.<Timeline> = current.animation.timelines;
 				var ii : int = 0;
+				var timeline : Timeline;
 				if ((i == 0 && mix == 1) || blend == MixBlend.add) {
 					for (ii = 0; ii < timelineCount; ii++) {
-						var timeline : Timeline = timelines[ii];
+						timeline = timelines[ii];
 						if (timeline is AttachmentTimeline) {
 							applyAttachmentTimeline(AttachmentTimeline(timeline), skeleton, animationTime, blend, true);
 						} else {
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ package spine.animation {
 					var timelinesRotation : Vector.<Number> = current.timelinesRotation;
 
 					for (ii = 0; ii < timelineCount; ii++) {
-						var timeline : Timeline = timelines[ii];
+						timeline = timelines[ii];
 						var timelineBlend : MixBlend = timelineMode[ii] == SUBSEQUENT ? blend : MixBlend.setup;
 						if (timeline is RotateTimeline) {
 							applyRotateTimeline(timeline, skeleton, animationTime, mix, timelineBlend, timelinesRotation, ii << 1, firstFrame);
@@ -220,8 +221,8 @@ package spine.animation {
 			// the time is before the first key).
 			var setupState : int = unkeyedState + SETUP;
 			var slots : Vector.<Slot> = skeleton.slots;
-			for (var i : int = 0, n : int = skeleton.slots.length; i < n; i++) {
-				var slot : Slot = slots[i];
+			for (var si : int = 0, sn : int = skeleton.slots.length; si < sn; si++) {
+				var slot : Slot = slots[si];
 				if (slot.attachmentState == setupState) {
 					var attachmentName : String = slot.data.attachmentName;
 					slot.attachment = (attachmentName == null ? null : skeleton.getAttachmentForSlotIndex(slot.data.index, attachmentName));