They're just make-believe, but these fictional characters bring in the big bucks for their creators. Add up the earnings of the top 10 and the number tops $25 billion. That's not child's play.

Mickey Mouse is No. 1 with an income of $5.8 billion for his friends at Disney, reports Forbes magazine in its annual list of the top-earning fictional characters.

To make it onto this list, the character has to have made its debut in a narrative story, such as a cartoon, book, or videogame. It can't be just toy, as is Hello Kitty, which would have ranked third on the list if it were eligible, and it can't be based on a real person.

Who is the richest in the toy chest? Forbes magazine's list of top-earning fictional characters:

1. Mickey Mouse and Friends
Income: $5.8 billion
Creator: Walt Disney
Debut Role: the film "Steamboat Willie"
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2. Winnie the Pooh and Friends
Income: $5.6 billion
Creator: A.A. Milne
Debut Role: the book "Winnie the Pooh"
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3. Frodo Baggins, "Lord of the Rings"
Income: $2.9 billion
Creator: J.R.R. Tolkein
Debut Role: the book "The Fellowship of the Ring"
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4. Harry Potter
Income: $2.8 billion
Creator: J.K. Rowling
Debut Role: the book "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
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5. Nemo, "Finding Nemo"
Income: $2 billion
Creator: Andrew Stanton
Debut Role: the film "Finding Nemo"
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6. Yu-Gi-Oh!
Income: $1.6 billion
Creator: Kazuki Takahashi
Debut Role: Japanese language comic book "Yu-Gi-Oh!"
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7. SpongeBob SquarePants
Income:$1.5 billion
Creator: Steve Hillenberg
Debut Role: the TV show "SpongeBob SquarePants"
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8. Spider-Man
Income: $1.3 billion
Creator: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Debut Role: the comic book "Amazing Fantasy #15"
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9. Wolverine, X-Men
Income: $900 million
Creator: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Debut Role: the comic book "X-Men #1"
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10. Pikachu, Pokémon
Income: $825 million
Creator: Satoshi Tajiri
Debut Role: the videogames "Pokémon Red" and "Pokémon Green"
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Who didn't make it is almost as interesting as who did: The Simpsons, Power Rangers, and Dora the Explorer were among those that didn't make the cut.
Click to watch a slide show of the "near misses."