Bingowings said:
As for Solo being more cool for modern audiences I remember when the first film came out my primary school music teacher (who in 1977 was already in her fifties) was raving about Han and nothing else.
In her eyes he stole the show.
So it's not a modern thing.
This reminded me of something I've noticed about Han. He seems a lot more sly in SW than in the sequels, with a much more weasely voice in parts, like when he says "I don't have it with me" to Greedo on Tatooine and during his conversation with Luke & Ben on the Falcon about the existence of the Force.
I'm not criticisizing this, mind you. Just making an observation.