Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Monstrous Compendium arrived in 1989 as a three-ring binder filled with 144 loose-leaf pages. This initial volume, designated MC1, was written by the TSR staff and illustrated by Jim Holloway. The product was designed to solve the growing problem of information overload in the 2nd Edition ruleset.
Jim Holloway illustrated the first volume of the Monstrous Compendium, creating a cohesive visual language for the era of fantasy gaming. The set also included eight color cardstock dividers featuring vibrant paintings by Jeff Easley. These illustrations served as the visual anchor for the expanding library of threats.
The Monstrous Compendium series included appendices for the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Spelljammer, Kara-Tur, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Al-Qadim, Ravenloft, and Planescape settings. The Forgotten Realms Appendix and the Dragonlance Appendix were published in 1989, while the Dark Sun Appendix arrived in 1992. Each appendix mapped the specific dangers of the various campaign settings that TSR had cultivated.
The Monstrous Compendium Annuals began in 1994 and concluded with the 1998 Annual, which was the final one of the original run. These annuals served as a repository for creatures that had appeared in magazines and modules but had not yet been given a permanent home in the main compendium. The 1998 Annual compiled creatures from 1996 and 1997 to ensure the game's lore remained current.
Reviewers offered mixed reception, with Stephan Wieck noting in 1989 that the first volume improved upon its predecessor. Berin Kinsman called the Dark Sun Appendix an invaluable tool for Dungeon Masters in 1993, while Rick Swan lamented the proliferation of monster books in 1994. Trenton Webb praised the Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II for its coherence and consistency in 1995.