Easiest "Who's There?" Ever

As I understand it, John Ridley's Black Panther run concluded with T'Challa having not only lost his title as ruler of Wakanda (which I think happened earlier in the title), but even losing his citizenship and being exiled. Because the council that was ruling the country was sick of all his secret plans and general bullshit fucking things up for them.

Wait, you're allowed to hold people in positions of authority responsible when they do stuff like that? Huh, that's news to us here in the U.S.

Where was I? I think T'Challa was assumed to have died stopping a threat he was responsible for. Either way, no more Black Panther. Except now there's another Black Panther running around Wakanda, fighting evil and speaking with sage wisdom. And to at least Wolverine's great surprise, it's still T'Challa! But how, he's not allowed in the country?! Also, he's supposed to be dead, but whatever.

Set aside that we, as readers, are not surprised they didn't kill him off. At this point, how would any of the costumed set in the Marvel universe be surprised? This is the character with apparently a ton of contingency plans. The character who, when told by the governing body of the country he aims to protect to not interfere and make things worse, went ahead and interfered in cleaning up his past messes and made things worse. When told by the Avengers he wasn't being a team player and to stay out of it, made his own team and stayed in it. A guy, like Tony Stark, always convinced he's the smartest guy in the room and so whatever he does is correct. Of course that guy would ignore the fact it's literally illegal for him to be in Wakanda's borders and keep being Black Panther? Who else could protect "his" country? Certainly there can't be anyone else, or a group of someones, competent or qualified for that role

Worse, he's wearing basically the same costume. He added a panther-face shoulder pauldron, and he's got some throwing knives in a bandolier around his torso. Maybe there's a cloak sometimes? But, come on. It's the same costume. This is on par with Wolverine thinking an eyepatch is a disguise (which, as others have noted, might explain why T'Challa he to assure him they knew each other. The healing factor doesn't repair concussions, apparently.) T'Challa doesn't act different, doesn't speak differently. How do you hear there's a Black Panther and not immediately go, "Welp, guess T'Challa's still alive"?

It got me thinking about the "Identity Crisis" story the Spider-books did in the '90s. Say what you will about it being a cheap stunt that only lasted a couple of months, when Spidey decided to avoid all the people trying to cash in his bounty, he went all-in. Not just four different costumed identities, but ones that looked wildly different from his Spider-Man duds. He emphasized different aspects of his powers based on the identity. Prodigy got around with Golden Age Superman-style leaps and bounds, and relied primarily on super-strength. Ricochet was all about the speed, agility and spider-sense. The Hornet identity was literally him wearing a suit of powered armor the Prowler designed. Not only that, he acted differently too. Prodigy was a square-jawed, "Halt, evildoers!" type. Like the Tick, but less of a moron. Dusk was eerily silent and morally grey. Ricochet was hyperactive, running his mouth like Deadpool or Impulse.

Now, Spider-Man had the advantage very few heroes at the time knew who he was. And the ones that did - Daredevil, maybe Nate Grey, if he was still alive, Black Cat but she'd keep a secret - weren't exactly keeping close tabs. Even the superheroes who don't work with the Black Panther much, probably know it's usually this guy T'Challa, who is usually the king of Wakanda. Which makes it all the more important to try and confuse the issue. If the costume is non-negotiable, and fine, it's traditionally a nearly ceremonial garb in addition to a battle suit, act differently! Use common slang, swear, make dumb jokes, something.

It would be funny if, with all the different things he's apparently very good at, T'Challa just really sucks as acting. Brilliant scientist, gifted tactician, eh, maybe just a mediocre leader, but less acting range than Jason Statham.