A follow-up series to the original, The American Way: Those Above and Those Below ran six issues, from July to February 2017 with Ridley and Jeanty returning as the creative team.

In an interview with National Public Radio, John Ridley stated that the inspiration for this story came from President Lyndon Johnson's wish to include an African-American in the Mercury Space Program.

[1] The first issue introduces the Civil Defense Corps, a team of superheroes, and their handlers the FDAA (Federal Disaster Assistance Administration).

The FDAA is put on the spot when Old Glory, a hero representing the epitome of American ideals, dies of a heart attack during a staged superhero battle.

[4] In the fourth issue the FDAA unleash Hellbent, a homicidal and sociopathic supervillain, to draw attention away from the racial strife caused by the New American's unmasking.

Finally, Wesley "Wes" Chatham, a CDC handler and the main character, is convinced he must trick the CDC/SDC into stranding themselves in a remote area and killing them with nuclear missiles.

[5] In April 2018, series creator John Ridley was announced to write and direct a film adaptation of Those Above and Those Below, to be produced by Jason Blum through his Blumhouse Productions company.