While I've never seen a WotC contract - I've never heard anyone I know getting in the 10-20 cents except for the time Wallis paid someone like $25 a word for translating his company motto...
Production casts are hardly near zero. I haven't printed in ages, so this isn't quite the truth it once was, but my cover art was virtually always my highest expense.
This must be a thing since I escaped. I do miss The Black Eyed Pea. Might not have been the best CFS, but It was consistent, never bad, and the gravy.....
That's... an option.