The New 52

Iccz

No difference

The incentive part simply refers to giving people an incentive to buy more copies of one book
The incentive is that they're worth more as they're more collectable, so stores want to buy them as they can sell for higher profit margins and collectors want to buy them so they have the different cover.

Edit: Matt explains it better than I do

FullerAwesome

Yep, Incentive variants are retailer incentives. Publishers basically say for every 25 normal copies, you can have 1 variant. Other variants, are much easier to get hold of.

FullerAwesome

Sorry dude lol, I think we posted at the same time.

NewMan

Well, thanks for replying both of you, and in the process offering two completely opposite answers...

Seeing as Midtown seem to make a distinction between Variant and Incentive, I'm inclined to go with MattEffect's answer, but happy for any further clarification...

dieeasysteve

I hate spoiler tags as I can't see them on the iPhone app.

Iccz

Well, we're both kind of saying the same thing, but Matt puts more details in to the specifics. I say they're not different because an incentive varient is still a varient issue - just a different varient to other varients... They're called incentives as Matt explains because it encourages the retailers to purchase more of a run, or a book to get the incentive copy which holds more value, in theory. So it's a yes and a no, depending how you look at it.

Intrinsically there is no difference between a variant and incentive to you and I, but there is a difference on the incentives to a retailer.

I found a bit here that kind of says what I'm trying to as well:
What's the Big Deal about Variant Cover Comic Books?- Variant Comics Shop

FullerAwesome

Now THAT is clarification lol. Nice find on the web too. You're right though, we're both basically saying the same thing.

FullerAwesome

Just had a delivery of comics from ebay and I've officially completed Green Lantern Volume 4. Just need GLC now and variants. Can't wait to see what happens in new 52 after the events of War of the Green Lanterns.

Theydon Bois

Moderatoring forum = spoiler tags not quite so hidden

.....but I heard [JL#1] that Batman nicks the ring anyway, so suitably implying I maybe a man in a suit, but you are a man in a leotard wearing a ring that came out of a ceral packet...

Iccz

Leave the posts you don't want to read for the other mod

Also try using a spoiler instead of a sign